Tag Archives: Labrum

Labrum Tear

Labrum Tear: Solutions and Treatment

The football season is in full swing, and while each snap of the ball is thrilling for fans, for the athletes on the field, one wrong hit can lead to serious shoulder injuries, such as a torn labrum.

The shoulder is made up of three bones: the shoulder blade (scapula), the upper arm bone (humerus), and the collarbone (clavicle). On the outer edge of the glenoid (the shallow socket in which the upper arm bone rests in the shoulder blade) is the labrum, a soft tissue that helps stabilize the joint, makes the socket deeper, and allows a variety of movements.

A labrum can be torn in a number of ways; from falling on an outstretched arm, a direct hit to the shoulder, a forceful pull on the arm, or a forceful movement when the arm is above the shoulder level. Athletes who partake in repetitive overhead arm movements, such as quarterbacks and receivers, are especially at risk of a torn labrum.

Symptoms of a torn labrum typically include:

  • A sharp popping in or locking of the shoulder
  • Pain during shoulder movement
  • Difficulty lifting objects, especially when lifting overhead
  • Shoulder strength decrease
  • Diminished range of motion

If surgery is required, it will be done with arthroscopy, which means the surgeon inserts a small camera into the shoulder joint through a small incision. The camera, called an arthroscope, provides pictures on a screen to help the surgeon guide and maneuver small surgical instruments to fix the tear.

For more information, call 251-410-3600. Comebacks start here.

TEAM USA COMEBACK ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT: Katie Bell

During the countdown to the 2012 London Olympics AOC is going to spotlight some USA Team members who were able to recover from an injury and fulfill their dreams of making the team. At AOC we applaud and love it when an athlete has a real COMEBACK RECOVERY and PERFORMANCE and is able to return to their passion.

The Olympics have been Katie Bell’s goal since she was younger, but injuries almost derailed that dream. At the Big Ten championships in Minnesota her freshman year, she mistimed a dive. She punctured a lung, separated chest cartilage and popped ribs out of place, though the full extent of the injury took two years to diagnose. Bell continued to battle injuries. She suffered a torn labrum in her shoulder two years ago, possibly because she was overcompensating from the previous injury.

“At that point, I didn’t even know if I was going to keep diving or not,” Bell said. “When I decided to keep diving, I set my mind on going to the Olympics. I worked so hard every year.”

To overcome her sports injury she saw many doctors, athletic trainers and a psychologist to heal her body and mind to get back to competitive diving. Last month after years of surgery, rehabilitation and hard work, Katie had a stellar COMEBACK PERFORMANCE and reached her dream of making the US Olympic Diving Team.

Keep up with Katie in this year’s London Olympics.

You can follow her on twitter at @HippieBell and we will keep you updated on our blog and Facebook page.

(info via www.dispatch.com)

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