DR HQ: Is labrum surgery still a career-ender?

Every year, questions persist of whether one should avoid pitchers coming off labrum surgery. This edition of Dr. HQ will focus on explaining labrum injuries and the impact on pitching careers.

Anatomy

Welcome to Anatomy 101 of the human shoulder, with a focus on the labrum and its function in the movement of the pitching shoulder. Below is a description of the labrum and some of the issues involving its function and location and a basic illustration of the shoulder from the front.

“The shoulder labrum is a thin layer of cartilage that lies between the humerus (bone of the upper arm) and the glenoid cavity (the cavity in the shoulder), the small groove which the humerus fits into. It functions as a shock absorber and a part...

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