Anybody ever Tear their Shoulder Cartilage?

[Petetheprop]

I was just wondering if anyone here has experience of a tear in the anterior aspect o fthe labrum (shoulder socket cartilage)? I thought I'd just managed my usual rotator cuff strain, but my physio, who used to work in one of South Africa's top shoulder clinics) thinks I've parted the Labrum of left shoulder from the bone, meaning that I probably need it surgically re-attaching...

[jp215]

[ QUOTE ]
I was just wondering if anyone here has experience of a tear in the anterior aspect o fthe labrum (shoulder socket cartilage)? I thought I'd just managed my usual rotator cuff strain, but my physio, who used to work in one of South Africa's top shoulder clinics) thinks I've parted the Labrum of left shoulder from the bone, meaning that I probably need it surgically re-attaching...

[/ QUOTE ]

ouch man how did you manage to do that?

[Petetheprop]

I slipped at work and landed on my back with my elbow behind me, pushign the ball of the shoulder forwards throught the cartliage and ligaments. Unfortunately it's not an injury that heals naturally, although it could be left unfixed it would rule out contact sports, sports with an overhead component and lifting seriously.

It's not 100% certain this is what is wrong but I trust the physio in question, I'm due to see an orthopaedic apecialist next week and hopefully then get an MRI, but that will probably take months. - I just read a thing on the web saying that our local hospital has unused capacity for MRI scans but still has a long waiting list, and a lot of people get sent 30 miles to have the scan on the NHS, problem is I can't afford to have it done privately. Apparently the Health service target is that no one should wait more than 26 weeks, by which time I'll probably have wrecked it even further.

What's really annoying me is that it really restricts my training, I'm struggling to create a meaningful program for the next few weeks with the restrictions that this and other injuries impose on me.

[RawIron]

YES. I actually have had 2 surgeries on my left labrum. I tore it doing military presses October 20 2004. I have not been able to lift weights for a year now but that is just because my first surgery was a failure. This surgery, however, my cartilage was stitched together rather than just scraped, so hopefully it will work this time. Stay positive, I hope your injury isn't as bad as mine is. DO NOT RUSH back into weight training. I think that is why my first surgery failed. I got excited when I was able to bench 100 pounds and I moved up too fast I think. Take your time and let your body heal. Good luck man! Trust me I feel your pain. I have for a year.

[GringoZ24]

What kind of symptoms(sp) are you guys having? Like can you function normal? I seem to have this problem when working out my chess, it's as if the shoulder wants to come out of it's socket.. I try and watch so that I don't hurt it further but once I'm finished my work out if feels like it's bone to bone..

[rauljimenez]

Yes, what the glenoid labrum does is basically a cartilage that deepens the socket where the humerus(bone of arm) attaches to the glenoid cavity of the scapula. I am very positive Pete that you actually might have done damage to the labrum because the articular surface is not protected in the inferior portion of the articulation. The anterior, superior and posterior portion of the articular surface is actually protected by the tendons and muscles of the rotator cuff, not the inferior and thats where you landed at. I would suggest an immediate MRI and stop lifting altogether to let it heal while you await the results, hope everything is fine.

[RawIron]

Im in my 10th week of rehab after the second surgery on my left labrum. I am currently curling 25 pounds and doing pushups off my knees as well as many other things so i an definately improving! Good luck.

[Chiefo]

Yeah I've done that, unfortunately. My senior year of high school, I tore my labrum in my left shoulder at the bottom of the pile (I got the sack!) when just about everybody landed on it. Seriously, take rehab slowly. I refused surgery to finish the season out and my shoulders haven't been the same since. I saw a sports med doc after the season and he basically told me that it would require serious surgery to take out the scar tissue? or something...that was a long time ago. I mean, you guys are kind of lucky...I've torn both rotator cuffs, had surgery on the right one, et cetera. Anyways, I don't think I've benched over 275 lbs since then. I gave it a looonngg time off that summer and its been decent, but it feels weak constantly and likes to kind of pop out of the socket a little. A lot of times I injure it playing basketball here at college, and it'll be pretty much useless for weeks at a time.

Moral of the story?
Take rehab very, very seriously...and accept the surgery, I wish I'd done that on so many different things.

[Petetheprop]

Hey Guys, thanks for keeping this alive, I haven't even been on the forums, never mind lifted for about a month, I just didn't want to think about the injury, sure I had some physiotherapy and got taping doen over the joint to restrict the movement every time I went near contact sports but I just tried to blank it out. Now I'm havign to think about the long term options - I have an MRI booked in this Friday, then I'm seeign the consultant surgeon after the X-mas holidays but it's really just a case of seeing how much damage there is, rather than if there is damage. (I can feel the joint clunking with certain movements) If the doc recomends surgery I'll probably put it off until after the cricket season, then rehab through the Rugby seaosn, rather than miss Cricket for Rehab and then risk a problem tryign to play Rugby too soon. Since it's my Left shoulder it should last out the summer, unless I land on it badly in the field. In the meantime I guess I'll just have to get in some serious cardio and try to get back down to a reaonable weight - I put on my Tux tonight for the first time in 18 months and could only jsut get the trousers on...

[RawIron]

Drew Brees is getting surgery on his torn labrum and is expected to recover in 4 months. I tore mine 15 months ago and I haven't recovered yet! Why do pro athletes heal so much faster than everyone else? This really pisses me off. They must be taking something illegal.

It's probably not good for them in the long run though. I have connections to get black market human growth hormone, but I heard that it could shut down my pituitory gland so i decided not to. Think that is what these guys are doing?

[Aftar]

Sounds pretty technical
Well I've dislocated my shoulder quite a few times early in my BB career and when that happens the muscle around it swells up too along with damage around the joint
I did find cod liver oil helped quite a bit

[slackie911]

because pro athletes spend 99% of their time rehabilitating their injuries when they occur. not to mention they have access to expensive, advanced equipment and a team of therapists that normal blokes can't dream to afford.

[Petetheprop]

Hey Guys, I've seen the consulatant surgeon again and I'm now slated for an arthoscopic (keyhole) stabilisation surgery in June.

RawIron, I think part of the difference in rehab is that different parts of the larbrum heal differently, I've been diagnosed with an Anterior Bankart Lesion which the docs think will heal in about 4-5 Months post-op, a SLAP Lesion involving the bicep Tendon will take a fair bit longer, although 15 months is excessive, are you sure the repair hasn't failed?

I found a good website at www.shoulderdoc.co.uk (http://www.shoulderdoc.co.uk) whcih has good stuff for shoulder surgeries and rehab.

For the moment I'm going to have to lose some weight because the hospital use BMI to decide how they treat you post-operatively, thoguh I know I've put on a lot of fat in the last few months. To that end I'll be doing long cardio sessiosn several tiems a week until I get back into it, then I'll put in some HIIT.