Question
Dear Dr.Scott,

I'm a 21 year old guy who started gymnastics in winter of 2009.
This past year in late october I hurt my shoulder and experienced impingement. It was clearing up then last week my instructor wanted me to try an inlocate on rings (originally how I injured my shoulder)and then guess what...I hurt it again.
It hurt bad but not that much after a night of rest and ice.
I went to my chiro who helped me out before and...he said it was a new injury. He said he thought I might have a slight slap lesion tear. He told me to lay off this week (which I have) and to call him this week to go again next week.
My question is if I make the shoulder stable, and watch myself will I be able to return to 100% on rings?
I asked my chiro and he agreed with me that it probably won't be until like 3 months till I can go back to rings like inlocate/dislocate.
Also, what is your experience with gymnasts and this type of injury. I have read some scientific literature on this topic as I have access to databases cause I'm a student and see that ring specialists get this problem (I love rings).
If you could help out I would appreciate it.

Thanks dr.

Answer
Hi Alex,

First, what would possess you to take up gymnastics at age 19??   Anyway, regarding your shoulder, if you have a significant labral tear, you're not likely to get back to rings at all.  For minor labral tears, it is possible to train around it, get some symptom relief, and then deal with the pain of going back on rings.   It is difficult to know about tears in the shoulder without MRI.   If a labral tear is suspected, then MRI with Arthrogram is the best way to evaluate it.   I've seen gymnasts with injuries that would put most other athletes out of business, but they deal with the pain.  Nobody can predict a return to 100%...

'Best,

Dr. G