Rebuild shoulder stability when a labral tear causes pain, clicking, catching, or weakness during activity. Fellowship-trained shoulder surgeon Dr. Stephanie Buza provides individualized labral repair focused on restoring confident movement and getting you back to what you love.
Rebuild Support Around Your Shoulder Joint
Shoulder labral repair is a procedure used to reattach torn cartilage around the rim of your shoulder socket. The labrum deepens the socket and helps keep the upper arm bone stable as you move. When it tears from injury, repetitive overhead activity, or dislocation, you may develop pain, clicking, catching, or instability. Repair typically uses arthroscopic techniques, sutures, and small anchors to secure the labrum back to the bone and restore shoulder stability.
Labral Repair Treats:
- Shoulder labral tears
- Labral damage after a shoulder dislocation
- Shoulder instability related to a torn labrum
- Pain during throwing or overhead movement
- Clicking, catching, or popping within the shoulder
- Recurrent sensations of the shoulder slipping or giving way
- Labral injuries caused by sports or repetitive overhead activity
Your Labral Repair Procedure
Shoulder labral repair is typically performed arthroscopically through several small incisions called portals. Dr. Buza inserts an arthroscope into your shoulder to examine the labrum, cartilage, ligaments, and the surrounding joint structures. Specialized instruments are then passed through portals, allowing her to identify the location and extent of the tear and prepare the edge of the shoulder socket for repair.
Small suture anchors are then placed into the glenoid near the damaged area. Sutures attached to these anchors are passed through the torn labrum and secured, bringing the tissue against the bone so it can heal. Depending on your injury, the supporting joint capsule may also be tightened to improve stability. Once the repair is complete, the incisions are closed.
Benefits of Labral Repair:
- Restoration of the labrum’s role in shoulder stability
- Improved support for the upper arm bone within the socket
- Preservation of your natural labral tissue when repair is appropriate
- Reduced clicking, catching, and instability related to labral damage
- Small arthroscopic incisions in many cases
- Minimal disruption to surrounding shoulder tissues
- Improved confidence during throwing and overhead movement
- Greater stability for sports, dance, training, and everyday activities
Return to Activity After Labral Repair
Your repaired labrum needs time to heal securely back to the shoulder socket. You’ll typically wear a sling for about 4 to 6 weeks, with physical therapy introducing protected range-of-motion exercises during early recovery. Lifting, pushing, pulling, throwing, and forceful overhead movements remain restricted at first to avoid placing excessive stress on the healing repair.
After around 6 to 12 weeks, rehabilitation generally progresses into strengthening the rotator cuff and muscles that control your shoulders. More demanding exercises may begin in 3 to 4 months as motion, strength, and stability return. Athletes can gradually add throwing, overhead, or activity-specific drills, with unrestricted return often occurring in around 4 to 6 months. Dr. Buza tailors your progression to your procedure, healing, and individual performance goals.
Does Every Shoulder Labral Tear Require Surgery?
No. Treatment depends on the type and location of your tear, symptoms, shoulder stability, activity demands, and goals. Some labral injuries can initially be managed with non-operative care, including physical therapy. Dr. Buza considers your whole clinical picture before recommending surgery rather than treating an imaging finding alone.
Move Better. Feel
Stronger. Get Back Out There.
Schedule Your Consultation for Labral Repair in NYC
Dr. Stephanie Buza is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in sports medicine and shoulder surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS). As a former classically trained ballet dancer, she understands how important strength and stability are when your sport or performance depends on your body. Her care is individualized around your injury and goals. Schedule your consultation for shoulder labral repair with Dr. Buza in New York City today.
