Labral Tears

What is a labral tear?

The labrum is a ring of fibrous cartilage attached to the rim of the shallow shoulder socket. It deepens the socket, helps hold the ball centred, and serves as the anchor point for the joint’s ligaments and the biceps tendon.

A tear can occur anywhere around this ring. A tear at the front-lower edge (a Bankart lesion) follows a dislocation and causes instability; a tear at the top (a SLAP lesion) involves the biceps anchor and causes pain. Where the tear sits determines the symptoms and the fix.

Common types

• checkBankart tear front-lower labrum, after a dislocation — drives instability.
• checkSLAP tear upper labrum at the biceps anchor — causes deep pain and weakness.
• checkPosterior tear back of the labrum — from pushing loads or certain sports.
• checkDegenerative fraying age-related wear, often an incidental finding.

Signs and symptoms

• checkA sense of instability or “catching” deep in the joint.
• checkPain with specific movements particularly overhead or when loading the arm.
• checkClicking, popping or grinding during shoulder movement.
• checkWeakness and reduced confidence in the shoulder.

How it is diagnosed

Examination uses position-specific tests to localise the tear and reproduce instability or pain. An MRI with contrast (MR arthrogram) is the most reliable scan for visualising the labrum, defining the type of tear and any associated bone loss — the details that guide treatment.

Treatment options

Recovery & outlook

After a repair the shoulder is protected in a sling, then rehabilitated in stages — motion first, then strength, then sport-specific control — over three to six months. Arthroscopic labral repair has a high success rate, particularly for restoring stability after dislocation.