labrum torn? surgery advice?

[tcfersure]

So this started 2 years ago from a car accident where some guy t-boned me right in the drivers side door. My shoulder was sore from the car crash so i went to see an ortho surgeon where they did an MRI. He said there was a partial tear in the labrum. He thought it would heal on its own though. So after 6 months it was still giving me problems he sent me to physical therapy to strengthen it.

The shoulder doesn't hurt that much or at all when doing normal activities. There are some activities or certain movements that really cause it to pop and grind and cause pain. The shoulder seems to get tired and sore more easily.

So i just went back into the ortho because the insurance company wants to settle and he said its not something he would tell someone they absolutely NEED surgery on, but he would do it if its causing me pain or discomfort. I went to my physical therapist to see what his opinion was and he did a bunch of tests on my shoulder and said the surgeon will probably be surprised when he goes in there and sees that my labrum is completely torn.

Has anyone experience this before? I would think something this severe would hurt worse than it does.

And whats the recovery like after this surgery?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Heidi]

Hi
Labrum injuries are painful initially but then often settle down and only cause pain on certain, extreme movements and cause popping/grinding feelings as you describe.
Surgery is a very personal decision, based on how much of a problem it causes you on a daily basis and with your job, as well as what sports etc you play and how old you are. Many people cope fine with a torn labrum, as long as they aren't playing lots of sport or have a very active job.
On the other hand, the surgery is via an arthroscopy usually and heals well. However, if the labrum is removed then a thorough rehab programme is required to strengthen the surrounding shoulder muscles to regain stability.