What’s the best solution for a shoulder labral tear? Chartered Physiotherapist, Peter Keane, BSc., MSc. says, “Usually if you suffer from a labrum tear a doctor will recommend surgery followed by physical therapy. However, you can engage in some exercises prior to the surgery to aid the overall recovery. In some cases the exercises can even be enough to prevent surgery altogether.” A study was conducted on 442 patients to assess the prevalence of posterior and combined labral tears in people with a history of surgery related to shoulder labral tears. The mean age of patients was 25.9 years. As per the results, 52.9% had isolated anterior labral tears, 16.3% had posterior, and 30.8% had combined anteroposterior labral tears. In this post, we have listed the 8 best shoulder rehab exercises to heal your shoulder labral tear better. Perform these shoulder mobility exercises after consulting your doctor.
9 Best Shoulder Labral Tear Exercises
1. Internal Rotation
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2. Wall Walk Stretches
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3. Blackburn Exercise
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4. Rotator Cuff Strengthening
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5. Scapular Stability Exercise
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6. Shoulder ‘I’s And ‘Y’s
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7. Shoulder Horizontal Abduction
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8. Shoulder Scaption
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9. Seated Shoulder Press Exercise
Steps These are the 9 shoulder strengthening exercises you can do at home that help with a labral tear. Exercise therapy helps in faster recovery. Simon, a YouTuber, shares in one of his vlogs his experience of undergoing shoulder surgery: “I thought maybe I’ve just flared up the joint and it will settle down on its own, and if it doesn’t, I will get surgery. With a bit of gentle rotator cuff rehab and time alone, the symptoms went away (i).” However, he continues, “About 2 years later, in 2020, my shoulders started hurting again.” After multiple wrong diagnoses and rehab therapies, he was diagnosed with a labral tear and underwent surgery. However, there are certain shoulder range of motion exercises you must avoid. Find out what they are in the following section.
Torn Labrum Exercises To Avoid
According to Dr. Jordan Duncan, Doctor of Chiropractic, it is better to avoid exercises that promote muscle imbalance and dominance of the large muscles on the front of the body. Examples of not recommended shoulder injury exercises include bench press. Avoid doing any exercise that aggravates the injury. If you are an athlete, focus on recovery and rest. If you have had a fall, avoid picking heavy objects or going to the gym until your shoulder has fully recovered.
Ways To Avoid Shoulder Labral Problems
The best way to avoid shoulder labral problems is to “maintain excellent scapular control and rotator cuff strength, which, in turn improves shoulder stability”, says Dr. Jordan Duncan, Doctor of Chiropractic. Warm up for 10 minutes before exercising, cool down after, and do posture correction and shoulder and back strengthening exercises to prevent shoulder labral tears. Can a labrum tear in the shoulder heal itself? If the tear is minor, it may heal on its own. However, it is always better to consult a doctor. What happens if a labral tear goes untreated? If a labral tear goes untreated, it may cause chronic shoulder pain, weakness, and instability. How long does it take to recover from a labral tear? The labrum takes 4-6 weeks to reattach to the bone. However, the recovery time may vary depending on the area and the severity of the injury. Learn how to exercise and workout safely while dealing with a shoulder labral tear. Watch this video now to get tips on the right exercises to strengthen and protect your shoulder.
