Labral Tear

What is a labral tear?

Labral tears are injuries of your labrum, cup-shaped cartilage that lines the ball-and-socket joints in your hip and shoulder. The labrum is like a rubber seal, securing joints in place and cushioning them. Accidents, sports injuries, and age-related wear are common causes of labral tears.

What are the symptoms of labral tears?

Common symptoms associated with labral tears include:

• Joint pain
• Pain with movement
• Joint locking, catching, or clicking
• Stiffness
• Reduced range of motion
• Pain with standing, walking, or sitting

Labral tears don’t always cause symptoms. If you have ongoing hip or shoulder pain associated with a possible labral tear and want relief, see the experts at Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine for an evaluation. 

What are the risk factors for labral tears?

While labral tears can happen to anyone, common risk factors for developing them include:

• Accidents
• Age-related wear
• Bone deformities
• Repetitive motions
• Improper lifting
• Sudden twisting or pivoting motions

You might have a labral tear because of playing sports, falling down, getting injured at work, or being in a car accident. Having a labral tear increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis in the future. 

How does my provider diagnose labral tears?

To find out if you have a labral tear, the Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine team reviews your symptoms, discusses your medical history, checks your vital signs, and completes a physical exam. 

They might order blood tests, diagnostic injections, or imaging procedures like X-rays or MRIs. 

How are labral tears treated?

Providers at Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine personalize each labral tear treatment based on your needs, preferences, and lifestyle. They could recommend at-home remedies, such as rest, ice or heat packs, wearing a brace, and taking over-the-counter medicines while your injury heals. 

Other treatment options include prescription medications, injections, physical therapy, and surgery. Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine specialists offer arthroscopic surgery using a thin, lighted tube with a camera attached to remove a torn labrum or repair damaged tissues.

Complete recovery after labrum surgery could take 3-6 months, but every patient is different.

To find out if you have a labral tear or get treated for it, call the Northeast Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine office nearest you, or schedule an appointment online today.