What is the recovery time for a labral tear without surgery?

Non-surgical recovery times for labral tears of the shoulder can take up to several months. Non-surgical treatments for SLAP tears, a common type of labral tear, requires rest and anti-inflammatory medications, followed by physical therapy for six weeks to two months, according to the Hospital for Special Surgery.

SLAP lesions do not always require surgery, even if there is a tear involved. On the other hand, Bankart lesions, which are generally caused by dislocations of the shoulder, often do not respond well to non-surgical treatments. Patients in their teens and 20s with Bankart lesions have an 80- to 90-percent chance of suffering another shoulder dislocation, according to Dr. Khalfayan of Orthopedic Physician Associates in Seattle.