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[RightArmRapid]

Going to see the GP soon over a possible torn labrum and I was wondering if anybody on the forum has suffered from this, looking at recovery times (post surgery) online it looks grim (up to 1 year to fully regain strength and mobility for some) and for any fast bowlers how long it took to get back to full pace (if at all). This could well be my second season ending shoulder injury in the last 3 seasons.

[tim2000s]

Going to see the GP soon over a possible torn labrum and I was wondering if anybody on the forum has suffered from this, looking at recovery times (post surgery) online it looks grim (up to 1 year to fully regain strength and mobility for some) and for any fast bowlers how long it took to get back to full pace (if at all). This could well be my second season ending shoulder injury in the last 3 seasons.

Once you start getting into labrum tears, it's unlikely you'll get back to your old maximum pace. Similarly to shoulder tendon injuries, the issue is that you simply can't put the stress through the shoulder structure any more. Once recovered, it's worth building up the muscle around the shoulder to try and stabilise it somewhat, but with each injury, you become less able to bowl at absolute pace.

Time to learn nagging line and length and how to bowl with swing/seam movement.

[Number 11]

I'm awaiting an MRI appointment.
Bowl spin without problems but throwing's a pig. A year recovery time doesn't sound good Been doing some physio exercises but have had to ease off because of crunching and popping in the shoulder and it aches more now we're in the cricket season, wonder why

[RightArmRapid]

I had recovered around 85%+ from rotator cuff tendinitis when it happened, to make a full recovery from a slap tear it supposedly requires surgery most of the time which is what has me worried. I guess like Tim said I'll have to focus harder on the finer nuances of seam bowling.

[TangoWhiskey]

I have a problem with my shoulder too. I threw a ball in from the boundary in a preseason game and my whole arm went numb with a lot of pain in the shoulder. It was just getting better until a few weeks ago when I was chasing a ball to the boundary and halfheartedly went for a dive. I landed straight on the point of my elbow and heard two pops in my shoulder with a lot of pain. Dusted myself off as we only had an over or so until half time, popped a couple of ibuprofen and rubbed some deep heat on it and it didn't bother me at all for the rest of the day, but I woke up in the middle of the night in agony and I haven't been able to throw a ball since. Still very sore now a couple of weeks later.

Is this the same sort of thing you have?

[OMF]

I am currently recovering from a SLAP repair on the right (throwing/bowling) arm.

The tear was from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock.

You can do exercises to strengthen the muscles but ultimately tears are only ever going to get bigger unless operated on.

Operation was in and out on the same day. Exactly 1 month in a sling. The next month is out of the sling and gradually getting range of movement back. The third month - which I'm about to start - is physio, getting strength back.

Hope to be playing in a month, so, 3 months after the op. However I'm not expecting that I'll be bowling too much this season....

It does take a year for the anchor (sounds worse than it is) to fully integrate into the bone, but you'll be feeling more like your old self much sooner.

But as a previous poster said, if you're a quicky, you may lose some pace and not regain it.

Good luck

[OMF]

Oh, and if you've got a tear, dont waste time with cortisone injection (imo)

[Flash99]

In reply to Number11, I am in the same situation

2 tears to labrum (1 front + 1 back) aswell as tears to pec and short head of biceps. Did that end of last May and only started to bowl again a few months ago. I bowl off spin and the shoulder holds up fine although pec and bicep do hurt for a few days. However, i can't throw overarm at all.

I was lucky in that I had private medical insurance so saw a consultant shoulder surgeon and had an MRI within 48 hours of the injury. It's been a long hard journey of physio and gym work just to get to this current situation. I still have the option of surgery and am still not sure whether or not to go ahead. There's no guarantee that the surgery will significantly improve anything and i will have to go through the rehab again.

[Number 11]

The shoulder is probably the most integral part of playing cricket, why the hell can it have so many problems.
Labrum damage, ligament damage and tendon damage can all have the same symptoms, numbness/ pain after throwing or bowling, popping/ crunching and grinding, nerves aching down to your thumb, dropped shoulder position and reduction in strength and movement. An MRI will tell you exactly what the problem is. In my case it might be everything.