With all tears, the first type of tear is where the labrum is completely torn from the bone. This type of tear is usually correlated with a shoulder injury where the shoulder is subluxated or dislocated. Sometimes this tear occurs and the individual does not realize that the shoulder has slipped out of the socket. This can make the situation worse and cause other types of injuries to the ligaments around the shoulder. The second type of labrum tear is a tear of the labrum itself. After a while, the sides of the labrum may fray, which means a slight tear where the labrum slowly begins to unravel like a thread, so the edge is no longer even and smooth. This type of tearing is quite common and rarely causes symptoms. It is often seen in the shoulder as people age. Sometimes the labrum can have a large tear where part of the labrum enters the joint and causes a clicking and catching sound as the ball moves through the socket. This tear is very rarely seen and most other included labrum tears will not cause these symptoms. The third type of labrum tear is in the area where the biceps tendon attaches to the upper end of the socket. The alveolus can be divided into four different regions: anterior, posterior, superior and inferior. A SLAP tear is a type of labral tear most commonly seen in overhead throwing athletes, such as baseball players and tennis players. SLAP stands for superior labral tear from anterior to posterior. The torn labrum seen in a SLAP tear is at the top of the shoulder socket, where the biceps tendon attaches to the shoulder (Shoulder SLAP Tear - Topic Overview). A Bankart tear is a labral tear that occurs when a shoulder dislocates. When the shoulder c...... middle of paper...... the hip socket hits the two bones to create a cushion. Its function is to tighten the hip joint spacing, increase stability and equalize joint stress. The stability afforded by the labrum allows normal physical function such as walking. The hip or acetabular labrum is a ridge of cartilage that surrounds the edge of the hip joint. The purpose of the cartilages is to create a deeper, more stable hip socket. The labrum can be torn from its attachment and cause pain, clicking or catching (Hip Labral Tear, Mayo Clinic Staff). The labrum can tear for many reasons. Some people tear their labrum following a fall or sports injury when the hip is forced into extreme positions. It can also be damaged by repetitive trauma during sports requiring regular rotation of the hip (A Patient's Guide to Labral Tears of the Hip, The Methodist Hospital System).