For former high school and college athlete Erik Van Vleet, the thought of shoulder surgery came with the fear he wouldn’t be able to lift weights or throw a football anymore. So, for 6 years, he put it off.
‘I could pop my shoulder in and out on command’
“I didn’t think it was severe,” he said of his first injury – a tear in his shoulder that happened while playing high school football. “My body adapted to it. But, I got to the point where I could pop my shoulder in and out on command.”
Following multiple recurrent shoulder dislocations, Erik was diagnosed with a labral tear and would need surgery to fix it.
“For patients like Erik, with large and extensive tears of the labrum, the shoulder becomes unstable. That instability makes it difficult to trust the shoulder, and even simple things can become challenging.,” says Justin Mitchell, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Gundersen Health System. “Repairing the labrum allows us to stabilize the shoulder and return active patients like Erik back to the things they love to do.”
What is the shoulder labrum?
The labrum is a rim of cartilage that lines and reinforces the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder. The labrum is the attachment site for the shoulder ligaments and supports the ball-and-socket joint as well as the rotator cuff tendons and muscles. It contributes to shoulder stability and, when torn, can lead to partial or complete shoulder dislocation.
What does a torn shoulder labrum feel like?
The most common symptoms of a torn shoulder labrum are: shoulder pain, instability and, in some cases, a feeling of grinding, locking or catching while moving the shoulder.
‘Now my body works the way it should’
It wasn’t until Erik graduated from college and began his career in medical sales that he began to understand the surgery – and how it could benefit him.
Erik served Gundersen and was soon working beside Dr. Mitchell. The two became friends.
“I started to understand that surgery was a must,” Erik, 27, said. “And it made a world of difference with my shoulder.”
“I always tell patients that surgery is a team event. My job is to do everything possible to return the anatomy back to normal, but the more difficult job lies with the patient. They have to do all of the hard work with the post-surgery rehabilitation to get function and strength back,” said Dr. Mitchell. “Erik did an incredible job of pushing himself with the rehab and doing everything he could to make sure his shoulder got back to top form.”
Now, Erik’s back to lifting and working out.
“My shoulder functions the way it should,” Erik said. “I’m right back to where I was before the surgery. I can strengthen the muscles the way they should be.”
Do I need a referral for labral repair surgery?
No. You do not need a referral for labral repair surgery. We welcome self-referrals! To schedule an appointment for a consult with our team – and get back to the things you love – call (608) 775-2276.