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
I was just diagnosed with torn labrum and bone erosion; surgeon said surgery was only option; PT won't heal the tear.
I have been doing PT since February. The pinching (impingement) is mostly gone, but my joint feels very off swimming, and PT said I should readjust my swimming goals to swim maybe 1500 to 2000 yards a few times a week and take up other sports.
Uh, Non! Swimming is so important to me! So I am thinking I will take the chance, have the surgery, and, according to the surgeon, I should be back in the water in 4 months.
I do worry about the intial pain.
Anyone out here have successful labrum repair surgery and now back to awesome satisfying swimming? I don't have to be Superwoman; I would just like to do workouts again. My arm hurts other times, too, like when washing my hair or in some positions putting any pressure on it.
I have done tons of exercises with weights/without weights throughout my 10 years of masters swimming, specifically to strengthen my rotator cuff area, but this pain came out of the blue. I also have used all my dance books/training to work on posture using imagery and core muscles. Yet, the pain persists. It's not destroying my daily life activities, but it has destroyed my swimming training, unless I need to be more patient and swim very little for very much longer, like a year. I have swum very little for 4 months and pretty much am going out of my mind. I also have seen no improvement by resting and cutting back to virtually no yardage. I kick a lot and do the elliptical and leg machines in the gym so maybe am getting a good butt and quads but I'd rather be swimming in my lane with my swim buddies.
Any really cool success stories out there? This surgeon is highly recommended by my coach and the surgeon's assistant says she is very conservative when it comes to recommending surgery.
But I am verrrrry scared.
I was just diagnosed with torn labrum and bone erosion; surgeon said surgery was only option; PT won't heal the tear.
I have been doing PT since February. The pinching (impingement) is mostly gone, but my joint feels very off swimming, and PT said I should readjust my swimming goals to swim maybe 1500 to 2000 yards a few times a week and take up other sports.
Uh, Non! Swimming is so important to me! So I am thinking I will take the chance, have the surgery, and, according to the surgeon, I should be back in the water in 4 months.
I do worry about the intial pain.
Anyone out here have successful labrum repair surgery and now back to awesome satisfying swimming? I don't have to be Superwoman; I would just like to do workouts again. My arm hurts other times, too, like when washing my hair or in some positions putting any pressure on it.
I have done tons of exercises with weights/without weights throughout my 10 years of masters swimming, specifically to strengthen my rotator cuff area, but this pain came out of the blue. I also have used all my dance books/training to work on posture using imagery and core muscles. Yet, the pain persists. It's not destroying my daily life activities, but it has destroyed my swimming training, unless I need to be more patient and swim very little for very much longer, like a year. I have swum very little for 4 months and pretty much am going out of my mind. I also have seen no improvement by resting and cutting back to virtually no yardage. I kick a lot and do the elliptical and leg machines in the gym so maybe am getting a good butt and quads but I'd rather be swimming in my lane with my swim buddies.
Any really cool success stories out there? This surgeon is highly recommended by my coach and the surgeon's assistant says she is very conservative when it comes to recommending surgery.
But I am verrrrry scared.
