• Practice your interview with the new SDN AI Interview Coach. Choose a school, answer by voice or typing, and receive a personalized feedback report. Available now to all SDN members. Try the AI Interview Coach.

Slap Tear

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

docmartin252

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
So, one of my coworkers told us that she was diagnosed with a slap tear and would require surgery. In the beginning she said she would probably be out for just over a week and be back to work as the procedure was not that extensive. Well she ended up using FMLA for over six weeks post op, and still complains that she has limited movement. It seems to me that her restricted movement is at her greatest convenience, which brings me to my question and the point of this post. There was a very small incision for her surgery, so is she simply milking this thing for all it's worth, or have any of you seen complications from this type of surgery barring any infection or the like?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
anytime you are in the shoulder joint it hurts and one of the most common complications after arthroscopic shoulder surgery is stiffness.
 
SLAP tears is short for Superior Labrum Anterior to Posterior Tear. There are 4 types originally described by Dr. Synder, Type I is fraying of the labrum, II is a tear at the base, III is like a bucket handle tear and IV extends into the biceps anchor. There are also types V to VII... It just depends on what she had done and the type of tear. If she had a type I, it would have been a debridement and she should be back to work within 1-2 weeks without any loss in range of motion. If she had a type II and was repaired with suture anchors, then the rehab is about 6 months. One of the big complications associated with repair of the type II tear, esp in pts over the age of 45, is loss in range of motion, likely external roation. Therefore, a lot of people just debride the tear and not fix it. Treatment for type 3-4 is varied and surgeon dependant.
Bottom line is dependant on what she had, it is not unreasonable for her to be out 6 weeks and complains of loss in range of motion.
Hope this helps.
 
Thanks to everyone for the responses. Unfortunetly I followed your advice and slapped her for being a hypochondriac, and she will subsequently be out on FMLA for another seven weeks with a facial hematoma. 😀