Ways To Treat A Labrum Tear

A labrum tear is an injury to the cartilage joining the humerus bone to the scapula in the shoulder. The labrum, or labral cartilage, lines the socket of the scapula where the ball of the humerus fits. A labrum tear in the shoulder can be classified in several different ways, depending on the cause and severity of the injury. This can be a painful injury, but the good news is it can often be treated with at-home treatments and common sense. Of course, accidents happen and patients may need to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis and specialized medical care. Learn more about the levels of medical care available to treat labrum tears now.

Physical Therapy

When the cartilage is damaged by intense usage or through an accident, the bones can pop or grind against each other without proper cushioning. The labrum cartilage can slip out of place, and the ball of the humerus either rides against the socket or can shift out of the socket as well. The cartilage also experiences further damage if stress is placed upon it before it can heal correctly. Some tears are worse than others and show symptoms like grinding, pain, clicking, and weakness. Physical therapy without surgery can often reverse and heal this damage. Applying ice in the early days of the injury reduces swelling and pain. Resting the injured area is essential to both healing and preventing further damage. Finally, integrating rotator cuff exercises will loosen the stiffness and help recover full use after an injury.

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Cessation Of Throwing And Intense Sports

One of the most important treatments for a labrum tear is to stop using the injured shoulder. Cessation of throwing and intense sports like swimming not only raise the risk of labrum tears, but they can make the situation worse. Overuse can lead to surgery that might have been avoided otherwise. The less damage an area experiences, the more fully it can heal to its original state. If an athlete takes careful measures, their injury does not have to signal an end to sports. Many injuries can heal, given time and attention, while the athlete shifts their activity to focus on other body systems for other kinds of exercise.

Reveal the next way to treat a labrum tear now.