Although most widely associated with athletes playing a position involving throwing, SLAP tears can seriously impede a person's use of their arm from the shoulder down. SLAP, or superior labral tear from anterior to posterior, tears affect the socket of the shoulder, namely the bones and tendons that otherwise provide a full range of movement. Those suffering this kind of injury can lose their ability to move their arms freely and without pain.

Among the commonly cited symptoms for a SLAP tear, the most recognizable is the pulsing pain that occurs at the shoulder joint. This low, almost subtle pain may not seem like a major setback, as injured individuals may turn to ice for quick relief instead of a full medical evaluation. However, sleeping with a SLAP lesion can be challenging, as the pain increases with the wrong bodily position. In addition to these problems, sensations of the joint catching while moving may occur as a result of this kind of tendon damage.

Athletes note the problems associated with this injury most pronouncedly, but it can also affect those who need the full strength of their shoulders and arms. Construction workers and manufacturing laborers may all notice a lack in overall arm strength after suffering this injury. As the damage can prove serious within the socket, the most common type of treatment is surgical intervention.

Without surgery, there are no medical treatments that can offer decent arm strength recovery. With jobs that require a high amount of strength, surgery may be the only viable treatment for sufferers of this injury. Open surgery or arthroscopic procedures are both options for surgeons to consider.

For these kinds of injuries, workers may need to take a considerable amount of time off to heal properly. To learn more about your rights and options as an injured laborer, contact the Fayetteville workers' compensation lawyers of Scudder & Hedrick, PLLC, today.