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SHOULDER LABRAL TEARS

Many sports require overhead motion and activities. A common and painful injury due to these sports can be shoulder labral tears.

The labrum is a cartilage cuff in the shoulder joint. Depending on where the tear occurs, the pain will present differently. Most commonly, symptoms include an aching in the shoulder joint, clicking or catching of the shoulder with movement, and pain with specific activities. Labral tears are commonly seen in patients who have dislocated their shoulder as well as baseball, volleyball, and tennis players (due to overhead activity). Occasionally, surgery is required to repair the tears, however, ice, stretching, and strengthening exercises can be effective in resolving the problem.