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SLAP Lesions: Post-Op Rehabilitation


Chiropractor, Dr. Alexander Jimenez looks at the surgical interventions required to manage a SLAP lesion and presents in-depth guidelines on the necessary post-surgical rehabilitation following a SLAP repair…

There are a number of varying types of treatment options available in different types of SLAP lesions. The type of lesion, the age of the athlete and the functional level of the athlete will determine the type of treatment plan prescribed for the SLAP lesion. Labrum repair, biceps tenodesis, debridement, tenotomy, and conservative treatment have all been recommended depending on the characteristics of the lesion.

Many variations of SLAP lesions are initially treated conservatively with measures to primarily improve the patho- mechanical factors that impinge on the SLAP lesion such as glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GHIRD) and scapular dyskinesis. For many of the lower-level type 1 lesions, this may be quite effective in eliminating the symptoms of the SLAP lesion without the need for surgery. However for the purposes of this article, the focus will remain on surgically treated SLAP lesions and their rehabilitation.

Surgery Types

Simple type-1 lesions may only require a simple debridement without disrupting the biceps anchor(1), whereas type-2 lesions are the most commonly seen type in sports medicine clinics, and these involve a detachment of the biceps anchor from the labrum. Type-2 lesions can be treated with arthroscopic fixation of the superior labrum to establish biceps anchor stability.

Type 3 lesions are characterized by bucket-handle tears of superior labrum with intact biceps anchor. This bucket handle fragment can easily be debrided by an arthroscopic shaver, and repair is often not needed(2). However, if the type 3 lesion is associated with a Buford complex then it should be treated as a type 2 lesion(3). The other types of SLAP lesions are not as common as the type 2 lesions, although if they do exist will certainly need surgical intervention.



In a large database search of over 25,000 arthroscopic SLAP repairs, Zhang et al (2012) found that the highest incidence of repair is in the 20-29 years and 40-49 years of age groups(4). This may reflect how the younger population are more likely to be involved in sports and other activities where they may suffer an acute SLAP lesion. In the 40-49 year old group however, the high incidence is most likely down to the degeneration of the labrum, which may be initially make its presence felt around this age. Also there is a significant gender difference, with men having three times higher incidence of repair. This probably reflects how males are more likely to play a sport, or behave in a way that may lead to a SLAP lesion.

Rehabilitation

A number of guidelines have been proposed when managing post-operative SLAP lesions based on the original mechanism of injury(8). These include:

1. In injuries sustained due to a compressive mechanism, subjects need to avoid weight bearing exercises on the limb in the early stages to avoid the compression and shear effect on the labrum.

2. In injuries sustained due to a sudden traction, subjects need to avoid any heavy eccentric biceps load to minimise the traction effect on the biceps anchor.

3. In injuries sustained due to a ‘peel- back’ mechanism, subjects need to avoid excessive shoulder external rotation in the early post-surgical period.

With these guidelines in mind, the general rehabilitation plan is staged over six phases. Although time frames have been approximated for each stage, the key decision to move from one stage to the next is the achievement of the exit criteria listed at the end of each stage. In general terms, throwing and contact sport athletes will usually return to competition at 6-9 months post-surgery, depending on the athlete and the sport.

































Summary

SLAP lesions are a reasonably common injury in the throwing athlete and can also be a source of shoulder pain in the contact athlete. Type II SLAP lesions are more common and will usually require surgical intervention. The rehabilitation program following this type of injury may be quite lengthy and detailed and most athletes will return to sport at six to nine months following surgery.

References

1. Am J Sports Med 2003; 31: 798-810

2. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2001; (390): 73-82

3. Am J Sports Med 1995; 23: 93-98

4. Am J Sports Med 2012; 40: 1144-1147

5. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2009;91:1595-603

6. Clin Sports Med. 2004;23(3):321-334, vii

7. Clin J Sport Med. 2007;17(1):1-4

8. The Int J of Sports Phys Th. 2013. 8(5). Pp 579-600

9. N Am J Sports Phys Ther. 2008. 3 (2): 95–106

10. Phys Sportsmed.2011;39(4):90-7

11. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2007. 2(3); 159-163

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Professional Scope of Practice * The information on this blog site is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Blog Information & Scope Discussions Welcome to El Paso's Premier Wellness and Injury Care Clinic & wellness blog, where Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, FNP-C, a board-certified Family Practice Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC) and Chiropractor (DC), presents insights on how our team is dedicated to holistic healing and personalized care. Our practice aligns with evidence-based treatment protocols inspired by integrative medicine principles, similar to those found on dralexjimenez.com, focusing on restoring health naturally for patients of all ages. Our areas of chiropractic practice include Wellness and nutrition, Chronic Pain, Personal Injury, Auto Accident Care, Work Injuries, Back Injury, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Migraine Headaches, Sports Injuries, severe sciatica, Scoliosis, Complex Herniated Discs, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Complex Injuries, Stress Management, Functional Medicine Treatments, and in-scope care protocols. Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicine, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies that are available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how they may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to discuss the subject matter above further, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, or contact us at 915-850-0900. We are here to help you and your family. Blessings Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, APRN, FNP-BC*, CCST, IFMCP*, CFMP*, ATN* email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico* Texas DC License # TX5807 New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182 Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Texas & Multistate  Texas RN License # 1191402  Compact Status: Multi-State License: Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST