Shoulder labral repair rehab in Carmel, Indiana

Which labral repair did I have: Bankart, SLAP or posterior?

The operative report names it, and the name decides your early restrictions. The labrum is the rim of cartilage that deepens the shoulder socket; a Bankart repair fixes the front-lower rim after the shoulder has dislocated, a SLAP repair fixes the top rim where the biceps tendon attaches, and a posterior repair fixes the back rim, often in lifters and linemen who push.

A Bankart repair is usually done for shoulder instability, where the problem is the shoulder slipping out. A SLAP repair is more often done for pain and catching in throwers and overhead athletes, described on the shoulder labral tear page. Some people have both, or a repair plus a biceps tenodesis, and get a combined protocol.

When bone has been lost from the socket after repeated dislocations, surgeons sometimes choose a bone-block operation instead; that recovery is covered in the Latarjet surgery rehab guide.

What motions does each labral repair protect early on?

After a Bankart repair, the protected position is the arm raised out to the side and turned outward, like the cocking phase of a throw, because that is the position in which the shoulder dislocated. External rotation is usually limited to small, gradually increasing angles for the first six weeks.

After a SLAP repair, the concern is the biceps pulling on the newly fixed top of the labrum, so resisted elbow bending and heavy lifting with the hand are limited, and the arm is kept out of extreme rotation positions for a while. After a posterior repair, pushing and reaching across the body are guarded instead. Your surgeon’s protocol lists the exact angles and dates.

These limits often feel overcautious by week four, when pain has faded. That is the stage at which repairs are most often stressed by an unguarded reach, such as catching a falling object or reaching into the back seat of a car, so keep the sling handy in crowds and on icy days even after you are allowed out of it at home.

• Bankart: no stretching into raised outward rotation in the early weeks
• SLAP: no resisted biceps work or heavy carrying early on
• Posterior: no push-ups, bench press or reaching across the body early
• All: sling as directed, nothing heavier than about five pounds for up to 12 weeks

How do the months after labral surgery usually unfold?

Most protocols run in four phases over about six months, with throwing, contact and overhead lifting at the far end. The table gives typical ranges from OrthoInfo and common protocols; your surgeon’s dates come first.

Why does shoulder blade control matter so much after a labral repair?

The shoulder blade is the base the arm moves on, and when it sits or moves poorly, the front or top of the socket takes extra strain, exactly where repairs live. Rebuilding control of the muscles that position the shoulder blade is one of the earliest and longest-running parts of rehab.

Early on this can be as simple as setting the shoulder blade back and down against a wall while the sling is still on. Later, exercises such as the prone Y, T and W series and cable rows in the private suites build endurance in those muscles. Throwers and swimmers usually need more of this work than people returning to desk jobs, because they repeat the motion thousands of times a season.

A therapist watches how the shoulder blade moves as you raise the arm, often from behind, and progresses the exercises when that motion is smooth and symmetrical. It is detailed, patient work that pays off in the last months of rehab.

Rotator cuff endurance builds alongside it. Light band rotation in protected positions, then cable work at shoulder height, then positions closer to throwing or pressing, follow the same rule: control first, load second, speed last.

When can I throw, lift or play contact sport after a labral repair?

Most people can start sport-specific drills around twelve weeks, but full throwing, heavy overhead lifting and contact sport usually wait until somewhere between four and six months or later, after strength and control tests and your surgeon’s clearance. OrthoInfo notes that throwing athletes can generally begin early interval throwing three to four months after a SLAP repair, a staged program that builds distance and effort over several weeks.

For a high school or college athlete training at Grand Park or on Carmel’s fields, the date is set by the surgeon, informed by test results from your therapist. The return to sport testing page explains how strength and control are measured, and shoulder pain when throwing covers what to watch for when throwing resumes.

What should I set up before shoulder labrum surgery?

Get the shoulder as calm and mobile as you can, strengthen the shoulder blade muscles, and organize several weeks of one-handed life: loose button-front shirts, meals that need one hand, and rides while you cannot drive. Many people sleep semi-reclined for the first weeks.

Students should plan exams and classes around a sling, and workers should ask about light duty for up to three months, since the five-pound limit can last that long. If you want a therapist lined up before the operation, the physical therapy questionnaire lets you tell the matching team your surgery date.