Should I get shoulder surgery? (16 y/o female)

[anichols929]

I had a hairline fracture on my growth plate 6 yrs ago (non-dominant arm) from skiing and my shoulder has been more flexible (can lick my elbow), and therefore more weak around the rotator cuff, ever since. While playing basketball throughout HS, there were a couple times when my arm would get really sore or hurt randomly, but I just kind of ignored it and dealt with it for years. And every once in a while, it would pop or click while doing overhead motions like layups or even just twisting my arm the right way. Then this year while playing, I went to pick off a steal with my left arm and another player pushed my arm down hard while I was bringing it up. This caused it to sublux (partially pop out and go right back in), which I think is what tore my labrum. It was either then or that made it worse than it had already been, if a torn labrum was the reason for the pain before. So anyway, I did physical therapy for a month or so and finally got an MRI (w/ injected dye) saying it was a SLAP tear. I'm back at PT now for 2 months and although I'm getting a lot stronger in my back and rotator cuff, my shoulder "clunks" all the time while doing things like push-ups, random overhead or behind the back motions, getting dressed, basically stuff I do in every day life, outside of even exercise. There is pain in the shoulder where the labrum's torn (also in tight rotator cuff and deltoid b/c it's doing most of the work), whether I'm playing basketball, at PT, or just laying in bed doing nothing. I have pretty much full mobility of the shoulder (not w/o clunking) but I want to have the freedom to do whatever I want, like Crossfit or just working out and playing sports in general without the fear that my shoulder might really pop out and even tear the rotator cuff while doing it. I don't want to have restrictions on my life because I'm a fairly active person and enjoy working out. So should I give up the full mobility and growing strength I have, in the hopes that I can be even better and stronger (with no clunking) after surgery, or just leave it how it is now and live with it?

[anichols929]

My doctor just told me to do PT for a couple more months but he didn't really recommend surgery, and instead told me all about different injections I could get into the joint... I don't really see the popping or clunking stopping, even with strengthening, because it's remained the same all through PT since the end of April... I also don't want to have surgery in college and this would be the best and most convenient time to get it over with.

[remar]

I recommend that you keep up with PT and see how things go before considering surgery. What does your Dr say about this, is he/she recommending surgery right now?