Medication
If the labrum is frayed, usually no treatment is necessary since it doesn’t usually cause symptoms. However, if there is a large tear of the labrum, the torn part should either be cut out and trimmed, or it should be repaired. Which treatment is used depends upon where the tear is located and how big it is.
Procedures
Surgery is not typically recommended for people ages 40 and up. This is because a hip labrum tear is often an early sign of arthritis. If you have osteoarthritis, a hip replacement may be needed in the future. In addition, other treatments, including physical therapy, may be equally as effective as surgery for a minor tear.
Therapy
Traumatic injury and wear and tear from repetitive motion of the upper arm can both cause labrum tears. Some specific causes of labrum tears include: Your doctor will test your range of shoulder/arm motion, stability, and pain level.
Nutrition
A physical therapy program might last six weeks to two months, depending on how bad the injury is. Labrum tears requiring surgery are usually treated with minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery.
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What is the treatment for a frayed labrum?
Do I need surgery for a labrum tear?
What causes a labrum tear?
How long does physical therapy last for a torn labrum?
What is the best treatment for labral tear?
How is a hip labral tear treated?Anti-inflammatory medications: Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (Motrin®, Advil®) can reduce inflammation.Medication injection: Doctors can inject medications, such as steroids, into the hip joint to ease symptoms.More items...
Do labrum tears heal without surgery?
Typically, patients with SLAP injuries that are less severe, involving either a partially torn labrum or frayed labrum, will find that physical therapy alone will improve their symptoms. However, if symptoms do not resolve after 6-12 weeks of physical therapy, surgery is necessary for a full recovery.
Can the labrum heal itself?
The recovery depends upon many factors, such as where the tear was located, how severe it was and how good the surgical repair was. It is believed that it takes at least four to six weeks for the labrum to reattach itself to the rim of the bone, and probably another four to six weeks to get strong.
Is labrum a major surgery?
Labrum repair is major surgery with serious risks and potential complications. You may have less invasive treatment options.
What happens if a labral tear goes untreated?
If left untreated, this may lead to chronic or recurrent shoulder instability, pain, and weakness.
How painful is labrum surgery?
You will be in pain, and although you can mask that pain with pain medications, you may discover that doing so prevents you from taking care of your responsibilities. Your doctor will give you a sling, which he or she will advise you to wear for anywhere between two and four weeks.
How successful is labrum surgery?
The success rate for a labral repair ranges from 85% to 95%. The goal is to achieve a shoulder with no pain for lifting, throwing, or overhead activity.
How do I know if I tore my labrum?
Symptoms of a Labral TearA dull throbbing ache in the shoulder joint.Difficulty sleeping due to shoulder discomfort."Catching" of the shoulder joint with movement.Pain with specific activities.Dislocations of the shoulder.
What does a labrum tear feel like?
The most common symptoms of a torn shoulder labrum are: shoulder pain, instability and, in some cases, a feeling of grinding, locking or catching while moving the shoulder. These symptoms may vary depending on the type of labral tear a person has.
How long is recovery for labrum surgery?
At surgery, we put the labrum back in position against the bone. It is not healed. It requires about 6 to 8 weeks to heal to the bone. During that time the less stress you put across the shoulder, the more likely it is for the labrum to heal.
How long does labrum surgery take?
Surgical debridement or arthroscopic stabilization of a labral tear normally takes two hours to complete. You may be given an interscalene block, also referred to as regional anesthesia, to numb your shoulder and neck area. This is administered with an injection in the side of your neck.
How is labrum surgery performed?
The arthroscope is inserted into the shoulder joint to inspect for a labral tear. Once the tear is found, the surgeon removes any excess tissue and drills a small hole in the bone where the labrum has torn away. An anchor attached to a strong suture is placed in the hole.
What is the shoulder labrum?
The labrum is a cup-shaped rim of cartilage that lines and reinforces the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder.
What does a torn shoulder labrum feel like?
The most common symptoms of a torn shoulder labrum are: shoulder pain, instability and, in some cases, a feeling of grinding, locking or catching w...
What are the different types of shoulder labral tears?
The two most common types of labral injuries are SLAP (superior labrum from anterior to posterior) tears and Bankart tears. Both types of tears are...
Can labral tears of the shoulder be prevented?
Unfortunately, labral tears are hard to prevent, especially in throwing sport athletes, because the force of overhead motion contributes to the inj...
Can a shoulder labral tear heal without surgery?
In some cases, the labrum can heal with rest and physical therapy, depending on the severity of the tear.
When do you need surgery for a torn shoulder labrum?
Surgery may be required if the tear gets worse or does not improve after physical therapy.
What is the recovery time for shoulder labrum repair surgery?
Patients who undergo arthroscopic repair can expect shorter recovery times and less pain. Those undergoing open surgery should expect more pain, lo...
Where is the labrum located?
The labrum is a type of cartilage found in the shoulder joint. The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint where the arm meets the body. The arm bone (humerus) forms a ball at the shoulder that meets the socket, which is part of the shoulder blade. These two bones are connected by ligaments — tough tissues forming tethers that hold ...
How long does it take for a labrum to heal?
It is believed that it takes at least four to six weeks for the labrum to reattach itself to the rim of the bone, and probably another four to six weeks to get strong.
What is the difference between labrum and articular cartilage?
When this type of cartilage starts to wear out (a process called arthritis), the joint becomes painful and stiff. The labrum is a second kind of cartilage in the shoulder, which is distinctly different from the articular cartilage.
What is the labrum of the shoulder?
What You Need to Know. The shoulder labrum is a thick piece of tissue attached to the rim of the shoulder socket that helps keep the ball of the joint in place. The labrum can tear a few different ways: 1) completely off the bone, 2) within or along the edge of the labrum, or 3) where the bicep tendon attaches.
How to diagnose a labrum tear?
Diagnosing a labrum tear involves a physical examination and most likely an MRI, CT scan and/or arthroscopy of the shoulder. Treatment varies depending on type, severity and location of the labrum tear.
Which muscle attaches to the labrum?
The other structure that attaches to the labrum is the tendon of the biceps muscle . The biceps muscle is the muscle on the front of the arm which gets firm with bending the elbow. While this muscle is quite large, it turns into a small tendon about the size of a pencil that attaches inside the shoulder joint.
Why is it difficult to predict how soon someone can return to sports after a labrum repair?
Because of the variability in the injury and the type of repair done , it is difficult to predict how soon someone can to return to sports and activities after the repair. The type of sport also is important, since contact sports have a greater chance of injuring the labrum repair.
How long does it take to heal labrum?
Treatment depends on how severe your symptoms are. Some people recover with conservative treatments in a few weeks ; others need arthroscopic surgery to repair or remove the torn portion of the labrum.
Can labral tear be seen in isolation?
A hip labral tear rarely occurs in isolation. In most cases, other structures within the hip joint also have injuries. X-rays are excellent at visualizing bone. They can check for fractures and for structural abnormalities.
Why is the hip labrum flexible?
1 . The hip labrum, like other types of cartilage, tends to have problems healing from injury.
What is hip labral tear?
Orthopedic surgeons have become better at understanding sources of pain, and technology has increased our ability to diagnose conditions that previously went undetected. One source of hip and groin pain that is being diagnosed much more commonly is called a hip labral tear .
What is hip surgery?
Arthroscopic hip surgery is an outpatient surgical procedure that is often performed under general anesthesia. Your surgeon places a small television camera with an attached light source into the hip joint, and through a separate small incision can place instruments to address hip labral tears.
When was the first hip labral surgery performed?
The first arthroscopic hip surgeries took place in the 1980s and it has become a routinely performed surgical procedure today. Between 1999 and 2009, arthroscopic surgery of the hip joint increased 18-fold, ...
Can a labral tear be arthroscopic?
Most importantly, labral tears are often seen in the setting of other damage to the hip joint including arthritis and bone spurs. A labral tear in the setting of arthritis of the hip is nothing like a labral tear as an isolated injury. 3 . When surgery is considered for a hip labral tear, the most common way to address this is through arthroscopic ...
Is every labral tear the same?
Not every labral tear is the same, and the treatment of labral tears can differ significantly. 1 Furthermore, patients come in many types with different expectations for recovery and different interest levels in various treatments.
Does hip labral tear need surgery?
As is the case with many emerging surgical procedures, hip arthroscopy included, orthopedic surgeons are continually improving the understanding of which patients are most likely to benefit, and which are not, from surgical intervention. It is clear that not every individual who has a hip labral tear needs arthroscopic hip surgery.
How to treat labrum tear?
Surgical treatment. Labrum tears requiring surgery are usually treated with minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery. During surgery, the surgeon removes the damaged part of the labrum. This can include cutting off any flaps of damaged cartilage that prevent proper motion of the joint.
How to heal a torn labrum?
Most torn labrums are easily treated with rest, physical therapy, surgery, or a combination of all three. Work closely with your doctor and physical therapist to find the best treatment options for you. With proper treatment, your shoulder should return to its normal function within a year.
Why does my labrum hurt?
Repetitive motion and injuries can tear the labrum, often causing pain. You also have a labrum where your upper leg attaches to your hip, but it’s less likely to tear because it’s thicker than your shoulder labrum.
What is the labrum in the shoulder?
The shoulder labrum is a piece of soft cartilage in the socket-shaped joint in your shoulder bone. It cups the ball-shaped joint at the top of your upper arm bone, connecting the two joints. A group of four muscles called the rotator cuff helps the labrum keep the ball in the socket. This allows your upper arm to rotate.
What causes labrum tears?
Some specific causes of labrum tears include: 1 a fall on an outstretched arm 2 a direct hit to the shoulder 3 a violent blow while reaching overhead 4 a sudden tug on the arm
How does a labral tear feel?
A labral tear is usually painful. It may feel like your shoulder joint is: You may also feel a sense of instability in your shoulder, a decreased range of motion, and a loss of strength. Pain at night or while doing daily activities is also common.
How to see labrum damage?
To see the damage to the labrum, your doctor may order a CT scan or MRI scan. Your doctor may also perform an arthroscopic examination by inserting a tiny camera called an arthroscope through a small cut. The camera will give your doctor a more detailed view of your labrum and any injuries to it.
What is the labrum of the hip?
What is the hip labrum? The hip labrum is a gasket-like structure that lines the periphery of the acetabulum, or socket of the hip joint. Like the gaskets that seal the joints between the pipes in your house, the acetabular labrum provides a suction seal for your hip joint -- adding to the stability to the joint.
What causes a tear in the labrum?
Tears of the labrum can be divided into several different categories that include both acute or sudden traumatic injury or tearing, or chronic conditions leading to degeneration or fraying of the tissue. When disruption of the normal tissue occurs, hip pain and dysfunction often ensue.
What is the image of a labral tear?
Image 2: A metal probe is further demonstrating separation of the labrum from the rim of the socket.
What are the factors that affect labral tear?
Those factors include the underlying shape of both the ball and socket of the hip. Deep sockets and shallow sockets place extra stress on the labral tissue making it susceptible to tearing.
Is labral tear common in athletes?
Degenerative fraying of the labrum is therefore extremely common in the aging athlete. Studies have shown that approximately 70% of adults will have labral tears identified on MRI studies of the hip, regardless of the presence or absence of pain. As the presence of hip labral tears is very common, it is critical that symptoms ...
Can a cam deformity cause labrum tear?
A bony prominence of the edge of the femur, or ball portion of the joint, referred to as a cam deformity can also lead to tearing of the labrum. The shape of the hip joint is best evaluated with special x-rays, which is why they are often obtained as the first step in the evaluation of hip pain. Additionally, the amount ...
Can a twisting injury cause labral tissue to fray?
Acute twisting or jamming injuries can also lead to shearing of the labral tissue from its boney attachment. Additionally, fraying of the labral tissue naturally occurs in a more chronic fashion with arthritis, or loss of cartilage, of the hip joint. Treatment options vary considerably in all of these scenarios.
