SLAP surgery versus physiotherapy?

[am193]

Hi there!

I have been diagnosed with a SLAP tear in my shoulder, and the surgeon at the time strongly recommended surgery. But, as a professional rider taking 6 months off of riding is fairly daunting. My question is, for people who have had the surgery, was it worth it, and did it actually take the full 6 months of physiotherapy to get back to full riding duties? The other option would be to do only physiotherapy. Has anyone done just the physio route for a torn labrum, and if so what was your experience?

[cristalle]

Following with interest. I have a massive RT tear and a torn bicep. I too find the prospect of surgery daunting, and wonder about the efficacy of other non-surgical treatments, such as cortisone injections or hyaluronic acid injections.

[Simkie]

I tried PT and the shoulder remained unstable and painful. Went to surgery. Yeah, it does take six months to come back. But it’s been my most successful orthopedic surgery, and by about a year out, I was forgetting there was ever an issue.

If you want to explore all conservative options, I’d hit up your local Regenexx practitioner for some PRP.

Also, get a few surgical opinions, and find the absolute best surgeon you can. Skill matters a lot.

[cristalle]

Did you try injections, Simkie? any luck?

[Simkie]

I didn’t think I did. I was going to do PRP, but the surgery date lined up and I went that direction instead. I had a narrow window of availability before a cross country move, so it was kind of a peculiar situation.

Faced with something similar today, I’d likely go straight to my Regenexx guy and really explore that avenue before signing up for surgery.

[jvanrens]

For all of us who are clueless, what does SLAP mean? Google is letting me down. Regardless, I wish you speedy healing.

[Simkie]

https://www.hss.edu/condition-list_slap-tear-shoulder.asp

[am193]

Okay thanks a lot! That’s helpful to hear, I’ll look into Regenexx