About Shoulder Labral Tear
A shoulder labral tear can cause deep pain, clicking, or instability during overhead and pressing movements. Physical therapy rebuilds rotator cuff and scapular strength, restores motion, and supports a more stable, confident return to training.
Expected Recovery Window
Conservative: 8–16 weeks. Post-surgical: 4–6 months. Return to throwing/contact sport: 6–9+ months.
Common Symptoms
Deep shoulder pain with reaching or lifting; clicking, catching, or popping; feeling of instability or slipping; pain with throwing or pressing; reduced strength overhead; pain when sleeping on the affected side.
Common Causes
Fall onto an outstretched arm; shoulder dislocation or instability episode; repetitive overhead throwing or lifting; traction injury; sudden pull during contact sport; degenerative labral fraying with age.
How We Treat Shoulder Labral Tear
We determine whether symptoms are driven by instability, rotator cuff weakness, or shoulder mobility restrictions. Treatment builds rotator cuff and scapular strength, restores shoulder range of motion, and progresses overhead and sport-specific loading. Post-op rehab follows phase-based protocols with criteria-based return-to-sport testing.
