Could Untreated Labral Tears Cause Loss of Arm Function?
Are you having difficulty moving your arm because of shoulder pain, fatigue or heaviness? Maybe your shoulder feels as if it’s going to fall out of place, or it makes a lot of noise when you try and use it. If any of these describe your symptoms, you might have a labral tear. The labrum of the shoulder is made up of a group of tissues that lend passive support to the “ball” of the joint and provides stability that is vital to secure the ball of the shoulder within the socket as your arm moves through space. Small labral tears may cause minor clicking of the shoulder, whereas major tears may cause complete dislocation. Labral tears occur in patients of all ages. The tissues that comprise the labrum have a poor blood supply. In fact, no research to date suggests that the labrum even has the capacity to heal, making therapy or surgery critical in avoiding long-term problems. Frank weakness of the shoulder and arm often stems from problems of the labrum. While the labrum itself does not co
