SLAP Tears

A SLAP tear is an injury to the labrum of the shoulder, which is the ring of cartilage that surrounds the socket of the shoulder joint.

SLAP tears happen when you tear cartilage in the inner part of your shoulder joint. The tears can be caused by injury or overuse and make it painful or difficult for you to move your shoulder and arm. Left untreated, these tears can cause chronic pain, limit how much you can use your arm and shoulder and lead to more serious shoulder problems.

Shreya Hospital in Ghaziabad is famous for it’s Orthopedic treatment. Orthopedic Surgeon practicing here have expertise in treating all kind of Slap Tears and having advance diagnostic equipment to find out the root cause behind your shoulder pain. Doing all kind of Non-surgical and also surgical treatment with physiotherapy to help you get back smooth functioning of your shoulder.

At any point in time, most of the adults will deal with shoulder pain due to injury or overuse. Superior Labrum, Anterior to Posterior tears (SLAP tears), also known as labrum tears, represent all shoulder injuries.

There are several ways to tear your labrum. SLAP tears are common injuries for people who play sports. Your labrum can be torn by an injury or simply over time as you age. Some SLAP tears can be treated with rest and physical therapy, but some may require surgery.

Common SLAP Tear Symptoms include:

• Shoulder pain that can be a persistent dull ache or a sharp pain deep in your shoulder.
• The pain in certain positions, like raising your arm or stretching your arm behind your head.
• Shoulder pain when you do certain things, like throwing a ball or reaching overhead.
• Popping noises or a grinding feeling when you move your shoulder.
• A feeling like your shoulder might pop out of your shoulder blade.

SLAP tears have three causes:

• Chronic injury. SLAP tears can happen over time in people who play sports or do exercise that requires lots of overhead motion. Playing baseball or softball, swimming or lifting weights are common causes for SLAP tears. Chronic injury is the most common cause of a SLAP tear.
• Acute injury. SLAP tears can happen if you try to block a fall with your outstretched arm or you use abrupt jerking movements to lift heavy objects.
• Aging. SLAP tears can simply happen as your labrum wears out over time. This tear is usually seen in people age 40 and older.

Diagnosis

Providers use the following tests to diagnose SLAP tears and determine treatment:

• Physical examination. Your doctor will check your arm and shoulder range of motion and strength.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or MRI arthrogram.

Factors to consider Surgery for SLAP Tears:

• The tear’s classification. Tears are classified based on location and if the tear affects other areas of your shoulder.
• Your age.
• Your typical activities.
• Previous non-surgical treatment.

Types of Slap Tears

There are several different SLAP types and sub-types. The most common SLAP tear is the type 2 tear. Type 2 tears have several sub-types, each describing different ways a type 2 tear might appear:

• Slap Tear Type 1: In this type of tear, your labrum shows signs of fraying or shredding but still functions. Type 1 tears are often seen in people who are middle-aged or older.
• Tear Type 2: This is the most common SLAP tear type. In Type 2 tears, the labrum and bicep tendon are torn from the shoulder socket.
• Slap Tear Type 3: Torn labrum tissue is caught in the shoulder joint.
• Type 4: In this type, the tear that started in your labrum tears your bicep tendon.

Treatment

SLAP tear treatment depends on the amount and kind of damage Orthopedic Surgeon at Shreya Hospital find when they examine your labrum. They might recommend non-surgical therapies first before concluding surgery is the best option. Regardless, SLAP tears can take months to fully heal.

Here are common SLAP tear treatments:

• Rest
• Anti-inflammatory drugs
• Cortisone shots
• Physical therapy
• Debridement
• Arthroscopic labral surgery to repair your labrum
• Bicep tenodesis