What SLAP tear surgery is really like
Having a bicep tenodisis
Hello readers and Happy New Year. I have so much to update you on from my retreat in September in South Africa to skiing adventures, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the reasons for my lack of postings….
Shoulder Surgery!
On my Amalfi Coast retreat in 2023 we kayaked out to a cliff with a tour group and saw people cliff jumping into the water. After watching my husband do it I knew I couldn’t skip out. However, I flailed my arms and upon hitting the water I felt my arm hurting. I let it go for a month then when and saw my doctor who ordered an MRI. The MRI revealed a SLAP tear and it was suggested I start physical therapy.
Fast forward to PT not working, an appt with an Ortho and a scheduled surgery for September of last year. For shoulder surgery like this they don’t actually fix the labrum. Instead your bicep tendon is detached and reattached lower on the bone. This keeps the tendon from putting unnecessary pressure on the labrum by pulling on it and causing further damage. So in short, I could certainly fall or have another accident and rip the tendon further, but hopefully that doesn’t happen!
The main reason I opted for surgery was the lack of mobility and function I was losing in that arm. Backpacking was hard because the strap would fall off my shoulder. I needed help taking my coat on and off because I got frozen shoulder. I couldn’t raise my arm over my head which made yoga difficult and I certainly couldn’t water ski. When the pain of my injury started to interfere with my adventures, I knew it was time.
So at the beginning of the year I joined Planet Fitness. And for the first time today I was able to do an assisted pull-up. It’s been forever since I could do a pull-up! This was one of my goals in trying to get my strength back and since my post-surgery PT sessions are over it’s all on me.
If you’re contemplating this surgery then just do what’s right for you. You don’t necessarily need surgery after a torn labrum, but when my shoulder limitations started to interfere with my life, for me that was the turning point.
Thank you for sticking with me and staying patient though my transitions and I will be updating you on more adventures in the New Year and I hope you will join me!
