Now that the smoke has cleared on the news that Greg Bird has a right labral tear requiring surgery, let's talk about this Boogeyman (known as a labral tear) and what this really means.
The labrum is a ring of soft fibrous tissue located in the shoulder socket. It's job is to help stabilize the shoulder joint. This collagen material cannot be strengthened and there are no reliable techniques to prevent labrum injuries. Oh, and did I mention they are tough to diagnose too!
A type I tear is when a portion of this tissue frays but remains intact. Usually PT can help regain motion, strength and function. In some circumstances arthroscopic surgery is recommended. Most procedures involve removing torn sections of this tissue.
A type II tear is when the labrum actually becomes detached from the bone. To correct this, the labrum is sutured back to the bone through anchors arthroscopically. As you can imagine this is a more involved rehab process than recovery from a type I tear.
These procedures are far more complicated and pose more of a threat to a throwing athlete's career than Tommy John surgery. In two separate studies it was reported that 3% and 14% of pitchers suffering from labrum tears were able to return to their previous level of success. This is far from the nearly 90% reported following Tommy John surgery.
Recovery really depends on a lot of factors such as the location and severity of the tear, how well the repair went, how well the patient heals, if they follow their physician's protocol and is compliant with physical therapy. Return to full essential function is usually between 6 and 8 months however the stress of throwing a baseball requires much more time. (12-14 months)
The good news is Greg Bird is not a pitcher and he plays a position in the field that requires the least arm strength. What makes Bird special is his bat not his arm. Expect him to be ready to compete at 2017 spring training. Ok... now everyone take a deep breath.
