Labrum tear (SLAP)

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 3/23/2012 4:43pm

I recently learned that I have a tear in the labrum of my shoulder (a SLAP 2 tear). This has, apparently, been the source of years worth of shoulder problems (no wonder my overhead press wouldn't go above 190!). I have the option of doing arthroscopic surgery proceeding with PT for a while. Although it won't heal on its own, I'm going to try PT to see if I can get any relief and then decide if the surgery is worth it. The recovery from the surgery is long and annoying--I'd be out of Judo for 6 months.

Have any of you had experience with this condition or the surgery?

**thrutch** · Posted On: 3/23/2012 5:50pm

How was it diagnosed?

I'm nursing a shitty shoulder that's been giving me a lot of pain over the last 6 months or so. I can't really do a shoulder press at all any more. I've been meaning to go get it checked out but the last time I needed a scan (for a knee) it took about 9 months for our Soviet-style health service to get round to it, so I'm considering trying to get it diagnosed privately.

***TaeBo_Master*** · Posted On: 3/23/2012 9:46pm

It depends on the severity of the tear. If it's a really minor tear, then there's a chance (but only a chance) that you'll be able to work around it. But once your shoulder's gotten to the point where the labrum is torn, it won't really heal on its own. If you want to get back to 100% function in the shoulder, then you should probably get the surgery.

PT will better serve to help recovery, and improve the movement dysfunctions that caused the problem in the first place. Usually, a labrum tear is either the result of a traumatic injury or, more commonly, the result of long term wear and tear brought about by dysfunction in the rotator cuff.

**downtime** · Posted On: 3/26/2012 1:17am

Dude best of luck, My Wife had a torn labrum tear in her hip, she was on crutches for quite some time before the surgery. She did the arthroscopic surgery (it was the only thing that helped) and had really good results from it.

***TaeBo_Master*** · Posted On: 3/26/2012 2:06am

Originally Posted by Res Judicata

I recently learned that I have a tear in the labrum of my shoulder (a SLAP 2 tear). This has, apparently, been the source of years worth of shoulder problems (no wonder my overhead press wouldn't go above 190!). I have the option of doing arthroscopic surgery proceeding with PT for a while. Although it won't heal on its own, I'm going to try PT to see if I can get any relief and then decide if the surgery is worth it. The recovery from the surgery is long and annoying--I'd be out of Judo for 6 months.

Have any of you had experience with this condition or the surgery?

I implore you to keep in contact with me as you go through this whole thing. Though my title is the vague "certified personal trainer," the bulk of my career has been dealing with rehabilitation and post-surgery cases. I simply hardly ever do basic fitness cases. I'd say that 89% of my clientele, all-time, has been rehab, post-surgery, and post-cancer cases. 10% has been high level athletes. The final 1% if everything else.

I'm only a guy on the internet, and without being able to get my hands directly on your shoulder, I can never be the final authority on the matter. But I do have a lot of experience and knowledge to share with you. Please, don't hesitate to ask me or anyone else the questions you encounter. Despite the confidence that everyone will show you, recovery from these things is 50% art and 50% science.

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 3/26/2012 9:55am

Thanks guys. I appreciate the advice and offer!

It was diagnosed through an MRI/arthrogram.

I'm lucky in a way: my wife is a physical therapist (and pilates/yoga instructor). She's hooked me with what she considers one of the best PTs in the NY area. I've been to many PTs in the past and, I have to say, the John Barnes method MFR-based PT I'm doing is the best I've ever experienced. I'm going to give it a whirl for a while and then make a decision about surgery.

I know what you mean about art/science. Many PTs just aren't very good.

(There's some wacky/new agey/hippy stuff with the MFR folks; like with yoga, it's best to just ignore that part)

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 3/26/2012 11:08am

Originally Posted by Res Judicata

I recently learned that I have a tear in the labrum of my shoulder (a SLAP 2 tear). This has, apparently, been the source of years worth of shoulder problems (no wonder my overhead press wouldn't go above 190!). I have the option of doing arthroscopic surgery proceeding with PT for a while. Although it won't heal on its own, I'm going to try PT to see if I can get any relief and then decide if the surgery is worth it. The recovery from the surgery is long and annoying--I'd be out of Judo for 6 months.

Have any of you had experience with this condition or the surgery?

Yep this is what caused me to have to give up Judo 12 years ago. It gave me problems for that whole time but seemed to heal itself after a few years of Hung ga qigong exercises and strength training. That is not an exaggeration, either, years of annoying shoulder pain pretty much ceased.

I couldn't roll on my right shoulder for a decade, now I can again. I think the key was really giving myself time to heal and then re-training the shoulder, but I do regret not returning to martial arts sooner...I feel like I wasted 10 years when I could have started training again after about 1-2...but man my shoulder hurt like hell for a long time and recovery was slow and could have been faster with good PT.

I would only get the surgery as a last resort, and try all other options (maybe even be open minded about a few) first.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 3/26/2012 12:36pm

I've met someone who had the Regenexx cultured stem cell procedure, with amazing results.
http://www.regenexx.com/regenexx-pro...ure-explained/

**W. Rabbit** · Posted On: 3/26/2012 12:54pm

Originally Posted by ChenPengFi

I've met someone who had the Regenexx cultured stem cell procedure, with amazing results.
http://www.regenexx.com/regenexx-pro...ure-explained/

Wow...that's amazing stuff. Pushups.

Yeah...need more stem cell research, not less...yeah...

**Res Judicata** · Posted On: 3/26/2012 4:47pm

That looks amazing. I don't know if it treats what I have, but I'll look into it. Based on the web, it's not covered by insurance and costs less than $10k.

Adult (esp. autologous) stem cells are where the future is at--and there are no moral or ethical quandaries with them. ESR research, on the other hand, is unadulterated evil.