Skip to main content

Hi All:

My son missed almost all of his first year as a D3 pitcher due to shoulder issue. Just received MRI and posterior labrum tear that doc says is small. Recommended rest and PRP injection instead of surgery. Def not the worst news but has anyone had experience with this approach?

I know the approach is to avoid surgery at all costs but Im wondering if this approach is just putting off an inevitable repair. Anyone with any advice would be appreciated.

thx!

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Close to the same minus the PRP.  My son just finished his Sophomore year as a D3 pitcher.  The summer before his Freshman year, covid summer, he started feeling shoulder pain.   MRI showed exactly what you are saying small slap tear of the Labrum.  A highly respected doctor at a highly reputable practice recommends immediate surgery.  A second highly reputable doctor at a highly reputable practice didn't recommend surgery.  The tear was not big enough. PT was recommended.  Son did PT and kicked up his workouts, and had no issues for two years.  It did take 3-4 months though to get back to normal.  A few weeks before this season ended the pain came back.  MRI readout shows a bigger tear, and two doctors recommend repair and cleaning up around the rotator cuff, including the doc who recommended PT a few years ago.  Son was on the fence but has decided to get surgery which is now scheduled for May 19th, next Thursday.  It's a 4-6 month recovery, so he will be back for spring.   

As a previous SLAP tear patient myself I say if a doctor recommends PT and PRP over surgery go that route first.  My repair happened in my mid 40's and my shoulder has never been the same, could just be age....We are not sorry we went with PT first and now find son going with surgery.  That is our experience.

Last edited by Gunner Mack Jr.

Similar situation.  Son also had a small slap tear.  When he was a freshman in high school his coach had him catching 5 innings and then pitching the last 2 as a closer.  Early spring of his sophomore year he started having shoulder pain.  Saw the orthopedic surgeon who said it was not surgical and recommended PT.  Did STRICT PT for 6 weeks to build up the muscle around the tear. He is now finishing up his sophomore year of college and hasn't had any issues (knock on wood) and is the starting catcher on a DI team.  The surgeon and PT also told him he had to make a choice between pitching and catching.  Too much wear on the shoulder to do both.  Good luck!

Hi All:

My son missed almost all of his first year as a D3 pitcher due to shoulder issue. Just received MRI and posterior labrum tear that doc says is small. Recommended rest and PRP injection instead of surgery. Def not the worst news but has anyone had experience with this approach?

I know the approach is to avoid surgery at all costs but Im wondering if this approach is just putting off an inevitable repair. Anyone with any advice would be appreciated.

thx!

Great write up on PRP https://www.painscience.com/ar...sma-does-it-work.php - basically it doesn't work for anything literally ever. If you're a multi-million dollar athlete with money to lose, go for it. Otherwise absolutely don't waste your money.

While I'm all for avoiding surgery, if your son went through a really good comprehensive rehab program (and not for a few weeks either, talking a few months), and things just haven't gotten any better and he's no closer to throwing pain free, then with that evidence it may be helpful. Just know that it's also possible to have that posterior labrum tear before ever having had arm pain, so what he's seeing could be like seeing a bird on top of a stop light. Just because you see it there when the light is green doesn't mean it caused that light to be green.

But if his rehab looked like a lot of rubbing, scraping, needling, stretching, bands, and light weights, then I would say he hasn't gone through a good rehabilitation program and thus surgery wouldn't be my thought.

Has their sports medicine staff spoke about where they were hoping to see him be by 4/8/12 weeks+?

Is it 4-6 months to start throwing again?

I see this thread got bumped up.  My son had his labrum surgery on May 19th.  Almost exactly four months - two weeks ago - the doc cleared him to resume all activities.  So start building up the arm and be ready to pitch in the spring.  As I mentioned on this site, in a post with a hidden message seen by some, my son decided to leave the team to focus on grades/internships, etc.   The point, though, is that he had a bad tear, an excellent surgical outcome, and was cleared to throw at four months.  He has zero pain.   

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×