What is the Glenoid Labrum?
The glenoid labrum, also called the glenoidal labrum, describes a ring of flexible cartilage that lines the cavity of the shoulder joint. Its purpose is to increase the depth of the shoulder cavity and add overall stability to the shoulder joint. When the shoulder joint receives a traumatic injury, dislocation is sometimes accompanied by a glenoid labral tear, which is a tear in the adjacent cartilage. Treatments for glenoid labrum injuries range from conservative pain management and exercise to surgical repair and stabilization of the entire shoulder joint. The shoulder joint consists of the joining of three bones: the long upper arm bone, or humerus; the collarbone, or clavicle; and the shoulder blade, or scapula. It is the most flexible joint in the human body, with a wider range of motion than any other joint. This also makes it the most unstable joint in the human body, and it is quite susceptible to dislocation-type injuries. The shoulder joint is classified as a ball and socket