Shoulder ligament reconstruction is a surgical procedure designed to improve stability and restore function in a damaged shoulder joint. Oftentimes ligament reconstruction is performed to address what’s known as a Bankart injury or tear. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at Bankart injuries and how Dr. Holloway can help restrengthen your shoulder ligaments with a minimally invasive procedure.
What Is A Bankart Tear?
A Bankart tear is the most common cause of shoulder instability onset, and it involves a tear to a specific part of your shoulder called the labrum. Your labrum is a ring of fibrous cartilage that surrounds the glenoid and works to stabilize the shoulder joint. When the labrum tears, it’s much easier for your shoulder to shift out of place, which is why one of the symptoms of a torn labrum involves recurrent shoulder dislocations.
As you might imagine, this can lead to a cycle of shoulder pain, as shoulder dislocations invite more pain and ligament damage, and greater damage to the supportive shoulder ligaments increases your risk of another dislocation. Before it progresses to this stage, symptoms of a Bankart tear and labrum injury include:
- Feelings of looseness in the shoulder
- Loss of shoulder strength
- Inhibited range of motion
- Lingering or worsening shoulder pain
- A clicking shoulder in the shoulder during movement
Bankart Injury Risk Factors
Bankart injuries are common during sporting activities, especially in athletes who lift their arms above their head with great regularity, like weightlifters, basketball players and volleyball players. However, these injuries aren’t just isolated to athletes, as they can also occur as a result of a fall or in a high-trauma incident like a traffic collision.
