Pain in shoulder a year after slap tear surgery

[owen265]

I'm 24 years old, otherwise in very good health, but I had slap tear surgery on my right shoulder just over a year ago (the cause of the tear is unclear). The surgery was, according to the well-respected/experienced surgeon who performed it, a success. I proceeded with physical therapy for several weeks and achieved full mobility very quickly. There was some slight discomfort at the end of the therapy, but nothing like the pain that preceded the tear. Several months later, a while after I'd finished therapy, as I was sitting on my bed one night, I felt a sharp pain in my neck on the right side that then radiated down to my right back and shoulder. I followed up with my orthopedist (who had performed the surgery) and he was very confident that this had nothing to do with the surgery. The pain was in fact completely different from the slap tear pain. It didn't feel deep inside the shoulder and was more diffuse. I've had two sets of physical therapy for this pain (which was generally categorized as spasms and bursitis), and while much of it has largely subsided, the actual right shoulder is still quite uncomfortable. There often feels like there's pain near the joint, which sometimes almost feels like a tickle. There's also a substantial amount of grinding and clicking in that shoulder. I'm out of therapy now and trying to keep up with the exercises I've been assigned.

My physical therapist said that I have arthritis in that shoulder, which really scared me. Could it really develop that quickly? After only a year? And as a result of slap tear surgery?

I wonder if anyone had a similar experience, or if anyone had any advice on how I should proceed. I think I've reached my limit for physical therapy, but I am hoping to find something to provide more relief. I'm only 24, and my impression was that slap tear procedures were very routine, so this has all been quite disheartening.

Any thoughts or advice would be very much appreciated.

Thank you so much!

[Whiteyvb1]

My Shoulder is painfull as. I had slap tear surgery 15th august 2017. the pain has been terrible since. Ive been doing PT every Friday since the op. and that starts the pain so bad when i get home I normally sleep for the afternoon. Next day im really good then by Tuesday its all starting again. ive had Mri's, xrays, ultra sounds you name it ive had it. The surgeon is not to kean on going back in maybe to clean it out but wants to give me another cortizone but i am refusing because he does say it could make things worst. Most frustrating thing ever, im a builder and work has suffered bad and havent surfed since i did the  injury falling from a 3 foot ladder. i just want it fixed. has anyone received compo for your injury? not something ive ever thought about but if im like this for the rest of my life im going to look into it. i miss at least a couple of days a week from work and my personal life sucks, all my mates just went on a boat trip to the maldives surfing . im not happy

[Ambernlcarney57]

I had a SLAP tear in my left shoulder about 5-6 years ago, got it when I was in training (I fell and hyperextend my arm backwards trying to catch myself). I went about 3 years without doing anything about it which clearly was a bad idea but nonetheless I had surgery on it about 3 years ago. It took a few months to really get back to normal but it was never really the same after. Some time has passed now and I wake up every day with unbearable pain in my shoulder which shoots down to my elbow. I also have permanent nerve damage in that arm which caused me to lose feeling in my ring and pinky fingers. Idk how normal it is to have this kind of experience so far after the surgery but I'm here to say essentially that it's imperative to constantly be mindful of what you do after the surgery because although the problem has been "fixed" there is a higher chance of re-injuring no matter how far out of surgery you are.

[HItech9459]

I has SLAP surgery late January of 2015. Took until late July to be finished with PT and the pain didn't really go away until October or November. Now in May of 2016 the pain is on the rise. Keeps me up at night. I have full movement and ok strength in the arm.  The pain in right where the incisions are. It has been about 5 weeks now, but if it doesn't get any better I will have to make an appointment with my Dr and see is he has any suggestions.

[simmo23]

HI Owen, how are things now? how long after the surgery did you start physio? I have had a SLAP tear repair about 6 weeks ago and my consultant doesn't want me doing physio until much later down the line. I'm happy with this as I've made this mistake of starting too much too early with my knee.

For the last 2 weeks though I have been suffering with a pain under my shoulder blade especially when I stretch it so I wonder if there is something sprained or strained but so far nothing I seem to do helps, has anyone else suffered with this? I was thinking it could of developed from lack of movement being in a sling for 3 weeks?

[jack8w]

It's hard to cope with a negative response to a surgery. I'm going through it too.

I was super active when I first was diagnosed with a SLAP tear. Like you, I heard it was a routine surgery and that it was the only way I could really get back to my peak performance level.

11 months later and I'm worse off. Pain, clicking, numbness down my arm still persists. Despite getting constantly reassured by my surgeon and PT that I made fast progress, I'm doing whatever I can to put off another surgery.

Do you have an update on your situation? Not sure how I'll go forward here.

[nickle1968]

It doesn't get better, it gets worse. I had three arthroscopic surgeries, then the finally opened it up and tighten it up the best they can. It goes from all around shoulder to up my neck, my sergeon saw my neck spasming out. It clicks, pops, and comes out of socket,amazing how a shoulder can be so uncomfortably. SLAP 3 TEAR 8 years ago and five surgeries.

[Ouelly]

I'm going through the same thing you experienced however I am currently two months post op and in PT. I felt a pop in my shoulder while at physio stretching and was told prior that you will hear and feel pops in shoulder, but not to fear cause everything's breaking up in there. When I woke up the next day my neck was really sore on my right side (right shoulder had surgery) and radiated down to the top middle of back. It felt like a spasm sleeping on it wrong. However it's been a week now and it really hasn't got better. They said I would know if I did something wrong to my shoulder but there really isn't much pain in my shoulder. I do feel like I got more range after this but I dunno if it's because t released scar tissue and broke up in my shoulder or I popped out an anchor which gave me more range. Can anyone help me in figuring this out or has went through the same experience?

[cricket955]

I fell at work in 2007 and had a slap tear surgery on left shoulder in 2008 along with the physical therapy advised.  The shoulder is still hurting now profusely and feels like a metal rod stabbing me in the joint.  I did fall recently when I almost fainted due to heart disease, and broke the fall on that shoulder no less with a sturdy wooden kitchen chair.  The recently I injured the same shoulder on an old pine dresser top while reaching down to discipline my cat who was picking on another cat.  

So I continue to have the shoulder pain, and I possibly should get it checked to see if the repair had been damaged.  Any thoughts on this.

I can't sleep on that shoulder or side because of a total knee replacement of the left knee also the year before.   The pain is often so unbearable that it awakes me 2-3 times or more at night if I am able to go off to sleep.

[mdanthony]

I had a SLAP tear surgery last March...one year ago, and my shoulder is more messed up today than it was then. It's sore as hell and I have a pain in my collar bone (at least that's where it feels like the pain is coming from) to boot. I also have a large know in my trapizius and my ac joint is sticking up on the shoulder blade. MRI and CAT scan all came back to show normal. I saw two different chiropractors, massage therapist and an acupuncturist. Even went to see a Reiki healer to no avail. My advice to anyone reading this who is thinking about surgery. Think again, it's not always the best solution.

[jmk513]

SLAP repair was done 2 years ago. The past month I have severe pinching which makes my fingers tingle and numb. My pain begins at the shoulder blade,up through my shoulder its self,and into the back of my neck. I take Ibuprophen,but the pain persists...I still cannot sleep on that shoulder. Any suggestions>

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without a clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms. Possibilities that may need to be considered include postural issues, inflammations, degenerations, capsulitis, bursitis, tendonitis, injuries/ tears, arthritis, spinal/ neuro-muscular causes, muscle/ ligament/ tendon tears/ injuries, fractures, growths/ masses, ischemia etc. I would suggest getting this evaluated by an orthopedician for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate management. Meanwhile you could try rest, ice-packs/ warm compresses and taking some tylenol/ OTC NSAIDS and see if these seem to help.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!

[owen265]

I don't mean to be too pushy, but I see other posters receiving feedback and was hoping for the same. Anyone have any insight? Would be very much appreciated. Am quite scared about the possibility of Chondrolysis based on what I've read.

[owen265]

After doing a bit of research today, is it possible that I have developed chondrolysis? I do not have limited range of motion or stiffness, but there is the persistent discomfort and significant clicking/grinding in the shoulder.

[owen265]

Any thoughts? Today has been a particularly bad day.