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Question

What is a SLAP tear and how do they fix it?

Answer 1

SLAP tear - a tear of the superior labrum of the shoulder. SLAP is an acronym for Superior Labrum Anterior Posterior. If the arm is forcefully bent inward at the shoulder, the humerus acts as a lever and tears the long head of the biceps tendon and labrum cartilage from the glenoid cavity in a front-to-back (anterior-posterior) direction.

Most patients with SLAP tears will respond to conservative (meaning non-surgical) treatments. Any patient with a SLAP tear will be advised to rest after the injury to allow the injured tissue to cool down. A period of rest will allow inflammation to subside and may help to alleviate symptoms.

Other treatments that are often used in cases of a SLAP tear include:

Physical therapy

Anti-inflammatory medication

Cortisone injections

In patients who have continued symptoms despite these treatments, arthroscopic surgery of the shoulder may be recommended. There are several specific surgical procedures that may be performed, and it is important to understand that SLAP tears often occur in conjunction with other shoulder problems such as rotator cuff tears, and even shoulder arthritis.