A labral tear is either a fraying or a detachment of the glenoid labrum, the ring of cartilage that surrounds the base of the shoulder joint. The labrum provides support to the shoulder joint to keep it stable. Weakness or injury in the shoulder joint can lead to labral tears. Because the bicep attaches to the shoulder blade through the labrum, labral tears can occur when extra stress is put on the bicep muscles. There are 2 types of labral tears. Traumatic labral tears are caused by an isolated incident, such as from an injury, or those who repetitively use their arms raised over their head where joint instability is an issue, such as gymnasts, construction workers, and weight lifters. Non-traumatic labral tears most often occur because of muscle weakness. When the muscles that stabilize the shoulder joint become weakened, more stress is put on the labrum, leading to a tear.
Class IV Laser Therapy benefits shoulder labral tears because it reduces pain, reduces inflammation and accelerates healing. It reduces pain by reducing the neuronal impulses and increasing the release of endorphins. It reduces inflammation by decreasing the inflammatory factors and reduction of edema by dilating lymphatics. It accelerates healing by increasing the blood flow, releasing cytokines and stimulating fibroblast activity and collagen production.