Reviewed by Dr. Jon Warner(Also known as a Biceps Tendon Tear)
The shoulder is the junction of three bones: the humerus (upper arm bone), the clavicle (collarbone), and the scapula (shoulder blade). The ball-like head of the humerus fits into the cup-like end of the scapula, known as the "shoulder socket" or "glenoid." This junction is commonly referred to as the shoulder socket, and is held together in part by ligaments, which connect bone to bone. A grommet-like piece of tissue known as the labrum extends from the glenoid and works to keep the head of the humerus in the socket.
The humerus may be forced out of the glenoid, (a dislocation [link]), or overhead pitching sports may also take their toll on the shoulder joint. Either may cause a SLAP Lesion, which stands for a tear in the Superior Labrum, Anterior to Posterior. In a SLAP Lesion, the labrum is torn from the front to the back. The superior labrum is the attachment for the biceps tendon, the strong muscle in the front of the arm. A sudden pull on this muscle can pull the superior labrum off of the bone.
