OP, Depending on how you feel about surgery, that is my ultimate suggestion. I tore 270 degrees of my labrum 4 years ago. My first doctor I saw was convinced that physical therapy would help me, so he put me on narcotics and physical therapy for close to 4 months before finally I went and got a second opinion who - after hearing my experience - wanted to schedule me for surgery right away. A 3 hour surgery turned into 6+ hours once he got inside my shoulder he realized that I had torn all 360 degrees by that point and was sublexing multiple times per day. I don't remember the name of the secondary injury this caused but, it involved the ball of my humerus carving a groove out of my shoulder socket from dislocating so many times. All in all the choice is yours, but regardless of which you choose, I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!
- I also had a 2nd labral repair done on the same shoulder from a snowboarding accident 9 weeks ago. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions man!
Thanks. I also snowboard so this is a concern for me. I'm definitely worried about the shoulder since it's my left side, my forward shoulder when I'm riding, the one that takes the brunt of my weight if/when I fall (I ride half pipe, park, etc).
I'm 100% definitely getting surgery on March 29th though. I am trying to decide which procedure to get.
My Dr wants to do a bicep tenodesis and subacromial decompression to fix it. He is telling me that once he relocates the bicep tendon (which is healthy I might add), my shoulder will then be stabilized again. the labrum won't really be serving much of a functional purpose anymore he is saying, once the tendon is moved. He tells me he does hundreds of these every year, which makes me feel great, and that I will be able to lift heavy again even if we don't anchor the labrum. He did say that it is my decision which procedure he'd like to do though.
He told me that humeral head migration is also not an issue once the tendon is moved. I had approached him with this concern.
So in the end, he is telling me that out of the hundreds of surgeries he does every year, the bicep tenodesis method has the best results in terms of regaining functionality and in terms of less complaints afterwards in regards to pain, stiffness, etc.
I'm getting a 2nd opinion today though from another clinic, but after a lengthy talk with my Dr yesterday, I now trust him.
I need to make a list of pros/cons of each maybe
Bicep Tenodesis and subacromial decompression (s.a.d may not be necessary he said):
Pros:
- 2 weeks in a sling
- faster recovery
- higher success rate
- can return to lifting
- don't need to worry about labrum tearing anymore, etc, since tendon will be removed from it
- sublux NOT a concern with this procedure
Cons:
- structural change, body will need to adapt (although, my Dr works with athletes and tells me there will not be a functional change or disadvantage with this surgery, possibly slight disadvantage if I was a professional pitcher for a baseball team, but lifting - no real functional change)
- I've heard reports of people getting bicep tendonitis post surgery
Traditional SLAP tear surgery (labral anchors drilled into bone)
Pros
- can return to lifting
- labrum can be repaired and tightened, to help prevent future tearing
- repair of natural structure
Cons:
- 4 weeks in a sling
- very long healing time for tissue to bone
- long recovery / rehab process
- re-tearing is always a possibility
- a lot of complaints for many people in the long run (stiff shoulder, shoulder never feeling the same or quite 'right' again)
- I've heard reports of people getting bicep tendonitis post surgery
- some people end up needing to go back for 2nd surgery, and end up doing the bicep tenodesis anyhow