My doctor thinks I have a labral tear. It may not be torn too badly since apparently it wasn't obvious on the MRI. I took three months off of swimming before seeing the doctor - I figured it would get better on its own, but it didn't.
I've done about 4 weeks of physical therapy and will do another two before seeing the doctor again. My range of motion and rotator cuff muscle strength have definitely improved, but the impingement pain and shoulder clicking during freestyle recovery motion is still there. My doctor suggested that after 6 weeks of physical therapy he'd have a better idea if surgery would be necessary. Two weeks to go...
In searching this and other forums, it seems that physical therapy doesn't do the trick for most swimmers with labral tears, and they end up in surgery. Or maybe those that choose surgery just like to post more about it?
If you've recovered from a labral tear without surgery, let me know! I'm willing to do many more months of physical therapy if I think I can avoid surgery!
Brian
Parents
Former Member
I also had a SLAP tear in my shoulder and I did have the surgery - I did a lot of research on this and have talked to quite a few people about this -- here is what I came away with -
- this stuff is very difficult to diagnose - even with good MRIs (contrast) - they told me I had a labrum tear and a tear in the long head of my biceps tendon (that is a death sentence for competitive swimming) - when they went in, the biceps was fine
- it does not heal on it's own - ever ! Without surgery, you are basically trying to build all the muscles around that area to help you not feel the tear or to use your muscles in a way that the tear does not affect you. The tissue itself is closer to a ligament - so it does not heal on it's own.
- recovery with or without surgery is totally different from case to case -- I have talked to people that never got full range of motion back with the surgery and I have seen people swim meets 4 months after surgery (Nick Brunelli last year). Some people get help with PT only amd some people (like myself) feel no difference at all.
If you do the surgery -
- the rehab people are as important (or more) than the surgeon. Find somebody that understands swimmers and the range of motion our shoulder needs.
Personally - my rehab after surgery was long and almost hopeless at some point :badday:. I finally got better when I let the shoulder be on it's own for 6 months - but now I am swimming faster than before :D
I also had a SLAP tear in my shoulder and I did have the surgery - I did a lot of research on this and have talked to quite a few people about this -- here is what I came away with -
- this stuff is very difficult to diagnose - even with good MRIs (contrast) - they told me I had a labrum tear and a tear in the long head of my biceps tendon (that is a death sentence for competitive swimming) - when they went in, the biceps was fine
- it does not heal on it's own - ever ! Without surgery, you are basically trying to build all the muscles around that area to help you not feel the tear or to use your muscles in a way that the tear does not affect you. The tissue itself is closer to a ligament - so it does not heal on it's own.
- recovery with or without surgery is totally different from case to case -- I have talked to people that never got full range of motion back with the surgery and I have seen people swim meets 4 months after surgery (Nick Brunelli last year). Some people get help with PT only amd some people (like myself) feel no difference at all.
If you do the surgery -
- the rehab people are as important (or more) than the surgeon. Find somebody that understands swimmers and the range of motion our shoulder needs.
Personally - my rehab after surgery was long and almost hopeless at some point :badday:. I finally got better when I let the shoulder be on it's own for 6 months - but now I am swimming faster than before :D
