Bankart Lesion Meaning

Our shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint between the scapula and the humerus. It is formed by the articulation of the head of the humerus and the glenoid cavity of the scapula. Due to several reasons, you can dislocate your shoulder joint resulting in Bankart Lesion.

You can experience severe pain, swelling and stiffness in your shoulder joint due to Bankart Lesion. In this blog, we are going to tell you about the causes of Bankart Lesions and the treatment methods required to treat this problem.

The movement of our shoulder is largely controlled by the ball and socket joint of the shoulder. It is surrounded by many other ligaments, cartilage (labrum) and tissues that help to keep the shoulder joint in place. Due to any injury or fracture, the shoulder can become dislocated from its position. The humerus head comes out of the socket (Glenoid cavity) causing the dislocation.

This dislocation can be of two types i.e. anterior and posterior dislocation. When the humeral head dislocates and comes in front of the socket, it is anterior dislocation and when the humeral head dislocates and goes at the back of the socket, it is posterior dislocation.

Inside the shoulder joint lies the labrum. A labrum is a ring of cartilage that surrounds the glenoid cavity and provides stability to the shoulder joint. Sometimes, the anterior dislocation in the shoulder can tear apart the labrum, resulting in a Bankart Lesion.

What are the symptoms of a bankart lesion?

A patient with Bankart Lesion can feel several symptoms that include –

• Extreme pain in the shoulder that increases over time
• The shoulder may appear weak and unstable while performing any daily life activity
• Patients may experience a limited range of motion
• Swelling, numbness, bruising and popping sounds are some other common symptoms

If you face any difficulty or pain in your shoulder, you can connect with the best orthopedic surgeon in Delhi. Cure My Knee is a healthcare company having more than 15 orthopedic surgeons impaneled with us that are specialized in treating all bone and joint-related problems. For an appointment with a specialized surgeon contact 8800200400.

What are the causes of Bankart lesions?

Bankart Lesion is a very common type of problem experienced by athletes. Although anyone can experience Bankart Lesion injury. Some of the common causes of Bankart Lesions are –

• Overusing the shoulder joint
• Sport collisions
• Car accidents
• Falling off a ladder and slipping on the sidewalk
• Falling during gymnastics, skiing, skating, etc.
• Loose ligaments

How is a bankart lesion diagnosed?

A physical examination is not enough for the diagnosis of a Bankart Lesion, so your orthopedic surgeon might suggest you undergo imaging tests to confirm the problem. An MRI or X-ray may be suggested to the patients. Through an MRI, your orthopedic doctor may see an accurate picture of your soft tissues and glenoid cavity and suggest you the right solution for your problem.

What are the treatment methods for bankart lesions?

The extent and location of your symptoms will determine the type of treatment that will benefit you the most. Your doctor may suggest you a vast number of different types of treatments to cure your pain. Sometimes, your pain will go away with the help of medications, braces, and physiotherapies, but your doctor may suggest you undergo surgery if the non-surgical methods are not effective. Some treatment methods-

• Non-surgical Treatment

  The non-surgical treatment method for Bankart lesions is generally done with the help of rest, braces, slings, and physiotherapy. Your doctor may suggest you different type of brace after diagnosis. The doctor may advise you to wear a sling for a couple of weeks, in which your armrests are in the front of your body. The sling also helps to maintain a distance between your arm and body. Your doctor may also suggest you undergo physiotherapy which will help you regain strength, mobility and stability of the shoulder. Physiotherapy usually includes a combination of strengthening exercises, stabilization exercises and stretches.

• Shoulder Arthroscopy

  Surgical treatments are suggested to patients when the non-surgical treatment methods don’t work or if the shoulder dislocation can reoccur especially in athletes. Shoulder Arthroscopy is often suggested for patients having Bankart Lesions. Arthroscopic surgery is done with an Arthroscope in which an orthopedic surgeon makes a small incision in the shoulder joint and inserts a pen-sized instrument which is also connected to the screen and allows the surgeon removes the damaged part of the shoulder and repairs them.

• Bankart repair surgery (Open Surgery)

  Open surgery is only advised for the patient who has severe shoulder instability. In open surgery, your orthopedic surgeon will remove the damaged part of the joint, especially the cartilage (labrum) and ligaments. The open surgery takes 3 to 4 weeks to completely recover. After the surgery, your orthopedic surgeon will advise you to take certain medications along with physiotherapy.

Recovery after bankart repair surgery

• According to research done in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine, the success rate of Bankart Lesion repair surgery is 94%, when the patients were followed up continuously for 5 years.
• After arthroscopy, your surgeon will suggest you to wear a sling for 3-4 weeks depending on your shoulder condition.
• Some medicines and physiotherapy will be started after the surgery. Your physiotherapy can be started just the next day after the surgery.
• Physiotherapy will help you to regain mobility and stability of your shoulder.
• Lifting heavy objects and heavy weight lifting exercises are avoided after the surgery.
• You can continue playing sports, 6 months after the surgery.
• The recovery time can vary from patient to patient depending on the severity of shoulder instability, the type of surgery and the age of the patient.

What are the disadvantages of not undergoing Bankart repair surgery?

If you leave Bankart Lesion untreated for a longer time, it can cause chronic pain along with stiffness in your shoulder. You will be unable to perform your daily activities. It will also cause damage to other tendons, ligaments and tissues in the shoulder joint as you will exert a lot of pressure in moving your hand. Further, your shoulder joint can become completely immobile and unstable. It can also lead to several other diseases.

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