Labral Tear Treatment and Surgical Repair
Doctors at UPMC Orthopaedic Care may try some conservative treatments for a labral tear, before recommending surgery.
Nonsurgical treatment for labral tears
Conservative treatments for shoulder and hip labral tears often include:
- Anti-inflammatory medicines
- Activity Modifications or Rest
- Injections, depending on your specific presentation
- Rehabilitation exercises to strengthen the joint and surrounding areas
Labral tear surgery
If nonsurgical methods don't help your shoulder or hip labral tear, your doctor may suggest arthroscopic surgery.
During shoulder labral tear arthroscopy, your surgeon will examine the shoulder socket and the biceps tendon.
- A labral tear confined to the socket means the shoulder is stable. Your doctor will remove the torn flap and correct any other abnormalities.
- A tear that extends into the biceps tendon, or becomes detached in any way, means your shoulder is unstable. Your surgeon will then need to repair and reattach the tendon using absorbable tacks, wires, or sutures.
If you have a hip labral tear that hasn't improved after six weeks, your surgeon might suggest hip arthroscopy. The procedure is minimally invasive, and suited to people of any age.
During hip labral tear arthroscopy, your surgeon will insert a small camera through an incision and make all necessary repairs to your hip.
Labral tear surgery recovery
After shoulder labral tear arthroscopic surgery, expect to use a sling for three or four weeks during recovery.
Your doctor will also ask you to do light, painless exercises to build strength and range of motion in your shoulder. Athletes can expect to be doing sport-specific exercises about six weeks after surgery.
The full healing process after shoulder labral tear surgery can take up to four months.
Recovery time from hip labral tear arthroscopic surgery is much shorter than the open-hip method. Post-surgery rehab will increase your rate of a successful recovery.
Learn more about treatments for shoulder and hip labral tears
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