Labral Tear Rugby Injuries Sports Medicine Information
When the labrum is torn due to an injury or repetitive motion, it can cause pain, instability, and limited mobility. For patients experiencing these symptoms, labral repair surgery may be the best option to restore function and alleviate discomfort. If you’re dealing with persistent shoulder pain, instability, or limited mobility, labral repair surgery may be the solution. As a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder injuries, Dr. Brian Capogna provides expert care tailored to each patient’s needs. From diagnosis to rehabilitation, you’ll receive comprehensive support to help you achieve the best possible outcome.
Arthroscopic isolated posterior labral repair in rugby players
They were reviewed at regular intervals in the shoulder clinic by the senior author, when Constant, Oxford, and instability scores were also performed. All patients were assessed by experienced shoulder physiotherapists and supervised accelerated shoulder rehabilitation was started immediately postoperatively by the club therapists. On physical examination, five patients had a positive O’Brien test for SLAP tear and only three (27%) had signs of posterior instability.
Treating a labral tear
However, if the pain continues, it’s worth seeking the help of a shoulder specialist . We (orthopaedic surgeons) can provide further investigation and management of the problem. However, a rigorous strength and training programme can help protect the shoulder from avoidable injuries.
This involves taking a part of the bone and tendon from one part of the shoulder or bone donated from a deceased donor and using them to fill the injury in the socket. Thanks to advancements in arthroscopic surgery, surgery can be performed through smaller keyhole incisions. A lot of shoulder injuries will not need surgery and instead, sports physiotherapy and joint injections (if appropriate) can be enough. Mr Amer Khan, an orthopaedic surgeon and sports injuries specialist, highlights how these happen and explains which injuries are more likely to need surgery. The Oxford score indicated improvement, decreasing from 33 to 18; similarly, the Oxford instability score also decreased from 52.2 to 12.3.
Shoulder injuries in rugby: treatment to get you playing again
Ultrasound had been performed in the clinic whenever there was a strong clinical suspicion of a rotator cuff tear. The shoulder is the second most frequently injured joint after the knee in rugby players and labral tears appear to be common. There is limited data available in the literature regarding the mechanisms of posterior labral injury in rugby players and the management of these injuries.
SLAP tear – a common rugby injury
- A lot of shoulder injuries will not need surgery and instead, sports physiotherapy and joint injections (if appropriate) can be enough.
- There were a total of 29 (20.4%) patients with posterior labral injuries, of which 11 (7.7%) had isolated posterior labral injury.
- Most rugby injuries, including AC Joint sprains will not require surgery, but usually involve rest, anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy.
- It is vital to have an early diagnosis and provide appropriate surgical treatment.
One player did not have any significant positive findings apart from posterior joint-line tenderness. At arthroscopy, 10 (92%) subjects had posterior labral tears (reverse Bankart lesions), while 1 (8%) had a bony reverse Bankart lesion. Labral injury was in the posteroinferior quadrant of the glenoid in nine (81%) patients and in the posterosuperior quadrant in two (19%) patients. Labral repair surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that uses small incisions and sutures to reattach the torn cartilage (labrum) in the shoulder joint, restoring stability and taxpayers should check out these tips before choosing a tax preparer function. Most rugby injuries, including AC Joint sprains will not require surgery, but usually involve rest, anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy.
- With that in mind we wanted to take a look at one of the most common rugby injuries that we treat – one effecting the shoulder.
- As a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder injuries, Dr. Brian Capogna provides expert care tailored to each patient’s needs.
- Some people may experience a popping noise when the shoulder is moved.
Sidelined by a Shoulder Injury? Preventing and Managing Rugby Shoulder Injuries
If you’re worried about a potential SLAP tear or any other injuries, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
One of these structures is the glenoid labrum – think of it as ‘suckers’ that connect the ball and socket. There are few studies in the literature addressing injuries to the posterior labrum in contact athletes,2,3 and there are none that address this injury in elite English rugby players. This is significant because the playing conditions, as well as some of the rules, in England are different from that in America. The shoulder joint is a unique and complex joint, containing many elements that control stability as well as mobility.
The anterior and superior structures were visualized from the posterior portal and probed from the anterior portal initially. The scope was then changed to the anterior portal and instrumentation was done via the posterior portal. The combination of stability with mobility makes it more unique compared to other joints. There is a fine balance between the rotator cuff muscles and ligaments, and so while it should theoretically be dislocating more often, it doesn’t. With contacts sports such as rugby consisting of tackles and direct physical force, injuring the shoulder is much more easily done. All the patients made uneventful postoperative recovery, without any immediate or early postoperative complications.
Posterior labral injuries may be increasingly common in rugby due to higher-impact tackles and increased training and competition demands. Recent changes in the rules in the rugby union, with more open play and less stoppage of rucks and mauls, may also contribute to this. Initial immobilization was in a 15º external rotation sling for 3 weeks. During this time patients progressed from active assisted mobilization to active mobilization under the supervision of the team’s therapists.
We reviewed 142 elite rugby players (professional and semiprofessional) who underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery by the senior author (L.F.) between 2003 and 2007. Patients with a documented, isolated posterior labral injury that had been treated by the arthroscopic technique were included in this study. The case notes were studied to collect data on the demographics, mechanism of injury, and presenting complaints.
What is labral repair surgery?
All players had undergone routine preoperative functional scoring and these scores were noted. Operative records were also studied to note the operative technique used. Isolated traumatic posterior labral injury in the rugby player’s shoulder is still not a widely recognized entity. It is vital to have an early diagnosis and provide appropriate surgical treatment. Arthroscopic suture anchor repair and a supervised accelerated rehabilitation program gives successful clinical results, with rapid return to the sport. Over a 5-year period we surgically treated 142 elite rugby players, of whom 11 (7.8%) had isolated posterior labral injuries.