What is a SLAP injury?
A SLAP lesion is a type of shoulder injury. Your shoulder is surrounded by a band of tissue called the labrum that keeps the joint stable. The labrum in your shoulder can tear in many ways. A SLAP tear involves the labrum tearing where it connects to the biceps tendon, both in the front and back.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of a SLAP injury are:
- Popping or popping sensation when moving the shoulder.
- Pain when raising and lowering the arm
- Pain when lying down on the affected shoulder
- Instability in the shoulder
- Limited ability to move.
- Loss of strength in your arm
It is important to see a doctor if you have the above symptoms. Without treatment, shoulder injuries can lead to loss of motion or weakness.
A fall on the arm is the most common cause of a SLAP injury.
How is it diagnosed?
Diagnosing a SLAP tear can be difficult as there are many other conditions with similar symptoms, involving other types of shoulder tears such as rotator cuff injury, supraspinatus tendon rupture or dislocation. To get a clinical diagnosis of your shoulder, questions will be asked about how long you have had pain, whether there are certain movements that increase pain and whether you have had similar problems in the past. In addition to an examination, the Trauma specialist may recommend:
- Performing an X-ray to rule out a different cause, such as a fracture.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), to look at the shoulder joint in detail. A SLAP lesion is quite difficult to detect, so you may be given a contrast dye to make it easier to detect.
Causes
A fall on your arm is the most common cause of a SLAP injury, but there are other common causes of tears such as a dislocated shoulder or forcefully stretching your arm. Some people will experience a SLAP injury when repeating the same actions, such as lifting weights or throwing a ball. You are also more likely to suffer a SLAP injury as you age, as the labrum becomes dislocated from the shoulder socket.
Treatment for a SLAP lesion
A SLAP lesion can be treated with medication, physical therapy, steroid injections, or surgery:
- Analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications are given to reduce swelling in the shoulder.
- Physical therapy involves counseling on what types of exercises need to be performed to restore flexibility and strength to your shoulder. It is a fairly common type of treatment, both for minor shoulder injuries and for patients recovering from shoulder surgery.
- Surgery may be considered if medication and exercises have not been successful. The most common form of surgery for a SLAP injury is arthroscopy, which involves cutting out the torn part of the labrum and reattaching it. After the procedure, a full recovery can take a couple of months.