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What is a labral tear?

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The two largest joints in the body are simple affairs. The thigh and shoulder operate by the movement of a ball shape in a socket shape and a labral tear occurs in the socket to these joints.

In both the shoulder blade and the pelvis, there is a socket shaped area into which a ball locates-either the top of the thigh or the arm.

The ball and socket are both made of bone. To stop the bone meeting and grinding together, the sockets are lined in both cases with cartilage, a tough, flexible material. The cartilage tends to overlap the end of the socket and provide some extra binding for the ball, whilst at the same time allowing flexibility. This is called the labrum.

A tear in the labrum is a labral tear and can affect either hip or shoulder joints. This might be as a result of natural wear and tear as age develops. It might have been exacerbated by particular stress such as sports use or a form of employment which demanded unusual movement including weight and twisting of the joint. Overhead stretching can affect the shoulder and hard running or a sports injury could do the same for the hip. Both joints may also be weakened by arthritis or osteoporosis.

The tear will reveal itself by a dull ache building to more serious pain. The sufferer may at first notice they cannot sleep on the affected side and that some movements are either painful or weakened. The hip in particular may develop a clicking or popping as movement is attempted, accompanied by a sharp pain. Especially painful will be the activity which may have caused the injury in the first place, such as running and kicking for the hip or overhead throwing or hitting for the shoulder. Seeking the advice from an Orthopedic professional is highly recommended.

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