Tear in shoulder labrum

Hi @angelameyer you’re welcome. I wish there were more answers for you. Why were you not a candidate for surgical repair but a candidate for total shoulder replacement? My elderly mother(90 years old) has had trouble with her shoulder for the past 2 years. Her physician recommended physical therapy which she did at home with home health and outpatient therapy. Both did not help her. She then went to an orthopedic physician and surgeon who diagnosed her with arthritis and recommended total shoulder replacement. She thought hard about it because she has a senior neighbor who did a total shoulder replacement and it worked out well for her. The neighbor is now pain free and able to use the shoulder. My mother at first was going to go through with the surgery but later decided against it because she felt at her age she did not want to take chances of it not working out well as her neighbor. So she endures the pain and does what she can. Despite all her ailments, my mother still lives independently in her apartment. She takes Tylenol for arthritis in the evening to decrease her pain so she can sleep. She does not do the steroid injections because of the side effects. She knows it is not good for the body and the injections do not work well for many she knows. Her pain does not go away. She claims it slowly worsens in time. Not being able to use the shoulder and the pain associated with it certainly limits your mobility. It will not get any better on its own perhaps worse so think about the outcome of your decision to make sure it is what you want in the long run. Difficult decision. Ask yourself, in doing the surgery, will the benefits outweigh the risks? I wish you well. Toni

Toni, I am 70, and my age along with all my other ailments played a part in excluding me from repairing the tear. I have prayed hard on this, and sometimes I laugh at myself because I lose sight of how lucky I am in so many ways. My daughter has her Master's in Social Work and she feels there is no need for any senior to be in more pain than a mild headache. That would involve some serious medication at times. C'est la vie. Thank you and again, will pray for the right decision and will pray for your Mom as well.

Hi @angelameyer I did have an MRI for my diagnosis of labrum tear in my hip. My pain had started 25 years before and went through different stages. I had learned to do stretching exercises to help decrease the pain. I lastly felt a clicking sound when standing up from a sitting position. I figured I would eventually need a hip replacement until the MRI confirmed my diagnosis. My physician had told me the tear will not heal on its own. I could either continue with exercises or do a surgical repair. I was also told people who elected a surgical repair later developed arthritis in that area. Luckily for me the MRI found none after all those years. I have not done any surgery.
As for your shoulder pain have you seen an orthopedic physician? I know some people who had the surgery and after physical therapy to help with rehabilitation. If your pain level is high and use of your shoulder is very limited I would consider the surgical repair. Talk with an orthopedic physician who may do the surgery for options as to what is best for you. Ask questions what to expect following each scenario so you can make your decision. Hope this helps. Toni

Just some commentary about the hip labrum tear. My doc didn't do an MRI - only an x-ray, but also said that they could not surgically repair it and that if my activities didn't change, I'd need a hip replacement. I got a cortisone injection which helped for about 90 days. I told him that even with restricting activity, I'll probably will be needed it.

I do PT (not very helpful) and reduced my walking from 2.5 miles 3 times per week - to 1-1.5 miles 3 times per week (helped with severity of pain, I don't repetitively lift anything over 20 lbs. and am trying to lose weight (hard to do when your activity has been cut back).

Currently recovering from a torn labrum in my left shoulder - the labrum wasn't the big deal, but the removal of the many arthritic spurs at the AC joint (top of shoulder connecting shoulder to the collarbone) has the bigger reason. Still undergoing PT for that. The right shoulder has similar arthritic spurs - MRI is pending to figure out what else is messed up.

The hip work is deferred because the right shoulder is far worse.

Just some commentary about the hip labrum tear. My doc didn't do an MRI - only an x-ray, but also said that they could not surgically repair it and that if my activities didn't change, I'd need a hip replacement. I got a cortisone injection which helped for about 90 days. I told him that even with restricting activity, I'll probably will be needed it.

I do PT (not very helpful) and reduced my walking from 2.5 miles 3 times per week - to 1-1.5 miles 3 times per week (helped with severity of pain, I don't repetitively lift anything over 20 lbs. and am trying to lose weight (hard to do when your activity has been cut back).

Currently recovering from a torn labrum in my left shoulder - the labrum wasn't the big deal, but the removal of the many arthritic spurs at the AC joint (top of shoulder connecting shoulder to the collarbone) has the bigger reason. Still undergoing PT for that. The right shoulder has similar arthritic spurs - MRI is pending to figure out what else is messed up.

The hip work is deferred because the right shoulder is far worse.

I got a labrum tear in my hip joint while picking up my elderly mother after she had fallen. I didn't know that I even had it other than something was wrong. For seven years, several doctors would take an xray and tell me that it was arthritis. Finally, I had scheduled an appt with a sports surgeon who went in and repaired it. It was better for about a year when I went to the surgeon who had operated on my mom's hip when she broke it. I was informed that my hip was gone and that I had needed a total hip replacement. I had it done and have never had a problem with it since. It feels like my own body. That was approx 14 years ago.