Regenexx Logo

Shoulder Labrum Tear Treatment – Reno, NV

5590 Kietzke Lane Reno, NV 89511

On This Page

Patient FAQs

The labrum is a cup-shape rim of cartilage that lines and reinforces the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder. It’s the lip of the socket of the ball and socket joint. It helps to connect the socket part of the scapula with the head of the humerus. It makes the socket deeper, creating space for the bones to move, and coats the surface of the socket area with soft cartilage, enabling the shoulder to move more freely and painlessly.

A shoulder labrum tear can be caused by a direct injury to the shoulder or as the result of prolonged wear and tear.1 While labral tears can occur in big traumas, like a car crash or a serious fall, shoulder instability is a cause often missed. 2 Instability can slowly increase after an old injury or a seemingly less traumatic event.

Imagine that the ball of the humerus is a bowling ball and that the labrum a barrier between the lane and gutter.  When the shoulder is stable, the ball stays on the lane. When the shoulder is unstable, the ball continuously goes towards the gutter and hits the barrier (labrum).

Shoulder joint anatomy highlighting the labrum
Labrum – shoulder joint anatomy

The common surgical intervention for labral tears often involves an invasive procedure to reattach the biceps tendon at another location. Labral repair tends to be followed by a long, painful recovery with extensive physical therapy — often with no improvement in mobility and function. Also, labrum surgery frequently fails to address the subtle instability of the shoulder joint that caused the tear, so the shoulder remains unstable and subsequent injuries may occur. 

There has only been one high-level study that compared surgical labral repair compared against a fake surgery. It did not show any difference in outcome between the labral repair surgery and the fake procedure 3. In another study looking at posterior shoulder instability, surgery edged out physical therapy, but the patients knew what procedure they were getting 4. We don’t have much solid evidence that a shoulder labral repair procedure works.

5590 Kietzke Lane
Reno, NV 89511

Request an Appointment

Call to Schedule Schedule Online

Doctors

Dr. Woolley brings a comprehensive approach to pain management and is well-versed in complex spine injections, joint injections, and regenerative medicine techniques. His goal is to help people manage and treat their pain so that they can regain function and enjoy life.

When asked about being part of the physician team at Sierra Neurosurgery Group, Dr. Wooley remarked, “I was initially drawn to Sierra Neurosurgery Group by the physicians themselves. Throughout my training I have spent a lot of time in the operating room, in clinics, and in hospital settings with neurosurgeons and I can say that the physicians and care teams at Sierra Neurosurgery Group are not only technically skilled, but they are also incredibly compassionate and put their patients first. I was also struck by how humble, and incredibly down to earth the team was. This combination is rare, and I consider myself lucky to join Sierra Neurosurgery Group.”

In his free time, Dr. Woolley enjoys golfing and is excited to experience the great courses in Reno.

View Full Profile

From a young age Dr. Blake knew he wanted to help others. Inspired by the example set by his mother, who provided legal counsel to the poor, he saw early on the positive influence one person could have on the lives of others.

His innate scientific curiosity drew him to the medical field. After a residency in anesthesiology at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) – where he was chief resident – Dr. Blake knew he had found his calling.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Dr. Blake moved to Carson City, Nevada when he was 15.
At Sierra Neurosurgery Group, he helps patients manage acute and chronic pain. His practice is founded upon the core values of understanding, respect, and trust. He spends a good deal of his clinical time listening to patients in order to understand their experience both medically and emotionally and works with them to develop a custom treatment plan.

View Full Profile

Dr. Naomi Albertson is a dedicated non-surgical musculoskeletal specialist/sports medicine physician at Sierra Neurosurgery Group who has been serving the Reno community for 11 years. As a former NCAA athlete, with her own history of injuries, Dr. Albertson sought medical education to give her patients what she missed out on, a patient-centered, comprehensive approach to injury prevention, evaluation and treatment. Her Medical Doctorate, fellowship training and advanced Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ) in sports medicine means she’s an expert in treating sports injuries, improving performance, and getting you back to the activities you love.

In addition to her 22 years of clinical practice, Dr. Albertson consults for several club sport programs in the area, assisting with injury triage and guiding athletes through safe return-to-play decisions. She also serves on the board of directors for Kime Peak, a sports performance software company. Dr. Albertson’s thorough, hands-on approach to treating injuries without surgery relies on options such as exercise, nutrition, physical therapy, regenerative and anti-inflammatory injections, weight management and when needed information about surgical interventions.

When she’s not in the office you can usually find her with her husband, Tim, either in the garden, sidelines watching her kids play sports, or on the trails in Reno walking, snowshoeing or skiing.

View Full Profile

Areas Treated

Cervical Spine (Not Upper Cervical or CCI)*, Elbow, Foot & Ankle, Hand & Wrist, Hip, Knee, Lumbar Spine, Shoulder, Thoracic Spine

*This provider is NOT authorized by Regenexx to treat the C0-C1 or C1-C2 levels of the neck or CCI (craniocervical instability).

Woman in telemedicine consult with physician to see if she's a candidate for Regenexx for knee osteoarthritis.

Treat Labral Tears Without Surgery

Regenexx procedures are non-surgical treatments that use your body’s own healing agents to treat shoulder labral tears. Our patients benefit from reduced pain and improved function, helping them avoid shoulder surgery.

Am I a candidate?

Regenexx’s percutaneous labralplasty is a nonsurgical procedure that uses precise imaging guidance and your own healing cells to promote natural healing. Regenexx procedures can be a better alternative for people looking to avoid surgery, lengthy recovery, and overuse of prescription pain medication. They use either platelet-rich plasma or bone marrow concentrate (which contains stem cells). 

The nature and severity of your labral tear (classification type) generally determines if the treatment is right for you. An evaluation by a Regenexx physician is the first step.

Find a Location

Find a physician in licensed Regenexx network.

Labral Tear Repair Patient Stories

I tell people about it all the time, and they find it so hard to grasp…100% and no scars, no downtime….I am so happy with my results and just wanted to say THANKS once again.”

Pilates lover with an active lifestyle – Full patient story

Number 8 [at 3 minutes and 35 seconds] is Matt scoring the winning goal for Penn State lead over Cornell. He had 2 great goals! THANK YOU…he feels great:)”

Mother of a college athlete – Full patient story

Note: Like all medical procedures, Regenexx procedures have a success and failure rate. Not all patients will experience the same results.

Visual representation of regenerative medicine

Webinar: Alternatives to Shoulder Labrum Surgery

Learn the latest about regenerative medicine, and how Regenexx procedures can treat your shoulder labrum injury.

Watch Webinar

Popular Articles On This Topic

Yes, not everyone experiences pain when their labrum is torn. In 2016, a study performed MRIs on patients without shoulder pain who were 45-60 years old, a staggering 55-72% of these people had labral tears. 5 

Yes. When the tear is in the upper part of the labrum, the area where the biceps tendon attaches to the lap of the socket is also commonly torn. When this happens, it’s called a SLAP tear (Superior Labral Tear from Anterior to Posterior).

u003ch2u003eGet started to see if you are a Regenexx candidaternu003c/h2u003ernu003cpu003eTo talk one-on-one with one of our team members about how Regenexx may be able to help your orthopedic pain or injury, please complete the form below and we will be in touch with you within the next business day.u003c/pu003e

TO TOP