Bankart Lesion: The Shoulder Cartilage Tear That Almost Always Follows a Frontward Dislocation — and Why Recovery Takes Months, Not Weeks
Updated: 3 days ago
Medically reviewed by *Dr. Baraa Alnahhal, MD*. Last reviewed October 13, 2026. This content is for educational purposes and is not medical advice.
Quick Answer
A Bankart lesion is a tear in the glenoid labrum, the ring of cartilage lining the shoulder socket, that happens when the shoulder is forced out of the front of its socket [1]. It causes pain, limited motion and instability. Most people need rest and rehabilitation, while surgery is used for recurring instability [1]. Full recovery takes up to six months [1].
What the research says
Surgery sharply lowers re-dislocation after a first dislocation. A meta-analysis of 5 randomized trials (126 patients treated with surgical stabilization and 133 treated with a sling alone, followed for about 60 months on average) found recurrent instability in 6.3% of the surgical group versus 46.6% of the sling group, and a later instability operation in 4.0% versus 30.8% (Belk et al., Am J Sports Med, 2023) [6].
Surgery is not automatic for everyone. A systematic review of five randomized trials found that the evidence supports surgery as a reasonable option mainly for young, active adults in highly demanding physical activity, with no conclusive evidence on which approach is better for other patients (Godin and Sekiya, Sports Health, 2010) [7].
What Is a Bankart Lesion?
A Bankart lesion (also called a glenoid labrum tear) is an injury to the connective tissue that helps hold your shoulder in its socket. It happens when your shoulder gets forced out of the front of its socket and into the connective tissue [1].
Here is the anatomy in plain terms. Your shoulder is where the rounded top of your upper arm bone (the humerus) fits into the socket of your shoulder blade (the scapula). A ring of cartilage lines and extends the socket to support the shoulder joint. This ring is called the glenoid labrum [1]. When your shoulder bone is forced out of its socket and into the glenoid labrum, it can tear it or even separate it from the bone, and that is a Bankart lesion.
The most common shoulder injury is a shoulder dislocation, and most dislocations come with a Bankart lesion [1]. That means the cartilage in your shoulder joint is torn. This tear takes much longer to heal than the dislocation itself and might need surgery, physical therapy, or both.
Doesn't popping the shoulder back in fix it?
No. A healthcare provider can move your dislocated shoulder back into place, but this won't fix a Bankart lesion. This longer-lasting injury leaves your shoulder joint unstable and more likely to dislocate again [1].
How common is it?
Shoulder dislocations are the most common type of shoulder injury, and they affect about 1% of the population [1]. About 90% of shoulder dislocations are anterior, meaning to the front of the socket [1].
Anterior shoulder dislocations are most likely to cause a glenoid labrum tear, and between 87% and 100% of them do [1]. So if you've dislocated your shoulder, you're very likely to have a Bankart lesion.
Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
Most common shoulder injury | Shoulder dislocation |
How common are dislocations | Affect about 1% of the population |
Front-socket (anterior) dislocations | About 90% of all shoulder dislocations |
Labrum tears after anterior dislocation | Between 87% and 100% |
Recovery time | Full recovery can take up to six months |
Outlook | Good, with or without surgery |
What is a bony Bankart lesion?
Your healthcare provider might say you have a bony Bankart lesion if your glenoid labrum and your shoulder socket bone (the glenoid) are both injured: the tissue is torn and the bone is fractured [1].
Bony (or osseous) Bankart lesions are less common than soft (or fibrous) Bankart lesions, which only affect the glenoid labrum. Bone damage to the socket rim is found in about 4 in 10 first-time anterior dislocations and is more common after repeated dislocations [1].
Type | What's injured | How common after anterior dislocation |
|---|---|---|
Soft (fibrous) Bankart lesion | Only the glenoid labrum (cartilage) | The more common type |
Bony (osseous) Bankart lesion | Glenoid labrum and the socket bone (fracture) | Less common; more likely after repeated dislocations |
What Does a Bankart Lesion Feel Like?
Bankart lesion symptoms can include:
Symptom | How it shows up |
|---|---|
Shoulder pain | Generalized shoulder pain, or pain in the lower front part of the shoulder socket; consistent and doesn't improve with time and rest |
Limited range of motion | Difficulties with lifting, throwing, or reaching; some people struggle to get dressed or put on a seatbelt |
Mechanical symptoms | A grinding or popping sensation when the shoulder moves a certain way, or the bone catching and locking in place, followed by soreness |
Shoulder instability | The joint feels loose, or the bone seems to move too much when rotating; it might even dislocate again |
What Causes a Bankart Lesion?
A Bankart lesion or glenoid labrum tear happens when your shoulder bone dislocates and tears the supportive tissues around it. A dislocated shoulder is a traumatic injury caused by significant force.
The common causes of shoulder dislocations are car crashes, sports injuries, and falls [1].
Trigger | How it leads to a Bankart lesion |
|---|---|
Car crashes | Significant force dislocates the shoulder forward, tearing the labrum |
Sports injuries | Contact or high-force movements force the shoulder out of the front of its socket |
Falls | Landing with force can pop the shoulder forward and tear the cartilage ring |
How Is a Bankart Lesion Diagnosed?
A healthcare provider will start by asking you about your shoulder injury: when and how it happened, and if it's ever happened before. They'll physically examine your shoulder joint for signs of instability.
They'll follow up with imaging tests to see the injury. Tests usually include X-rays and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) [1]. They'll want to see the extent of the damage to your glenoid labrum and whether there are any other injuries.
Step | What happens | Why it's done |
|---|---|---|
Medical history | Provider asks when and how the injury happened and if it happened before | Establishes the injury story and repeat dislocations |
Physical exam | Examines the shoulder joint for signs of instability | Checks how loose or unstable the joint is |
X-rays | Imaging of the shoulder | Looks for fractures, including bony Bankart lesions |
MRI | Magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder | Shows the extent of glenoid labrum damage and any other injuries |
How Is a Bankart Lesion Treated?
Not all glenoid labrum tears need surgery, but some do. Bankart lesions can heal by themselves, but some may not heal as well without surgical repair.
Your healthcare provider might recommend surgery if:
Surgery indicator | What it means |
|---|---|
Labrum detached from the bone | Needs surgery to reattach it |
Bony Bankart lesion with bone loss | Some of the socket bone was lost |
Recurring instability | The shoulder keeps showing instability from a previous injury |
Shoulder-dependent work or activities | Your regular activities or occupation rely heavily on the shoulder joint |
What happens if it's left untreated?
Bankart lesions can heal without treatment, but they don't always heal well enough, and sometimes your shoulder joint remains unstable. This makes it more likely to dislocate and tear your labrum again [1].
Your healthcare provider is the best person to tell you if your injury is likely to heal well on its own. Even if you don't have surgery, you'll need to take good care of your shoulder joint for it to heal well.
What does surgical repair involve?
Surgery for a Bankart lesion involves removing dead or damaged tissue and repairing the tear in the healthy tissue. If necessary, your surgeon will reattach your glenoid labrum to the glenoid bone.
Surgeons attach small anchors to the socket bone and stitch the glenoid labrum tissue to these anchors. They carefully tighten the stitches to restabilize the joint. This is sometimes called a Bankart repair [1].
Surgeons can often complete a Bankart repair by shoulder arthroscopy. That means they insert a small tube with a camera at the end (an arthroscope) through a small incision and operate through the tube. Minimally invasive methods like shoulder arthroscopy make recovery faster and easier. But sometimes, for more severe injuries, you might need open shoulder surgery to repair it properly [1].
What does rehabilitation look like?
Whether you have surgery or not, your shoulder will need rest and rehabilitation to recover. This means keeping your shoulder immobilized in a sling for several weeks [1]. Afterward, you'll need physical therapy.
A physical therapist will give you a course of exercises to follow to recover your muscle strength and range of motion gradually. This also helps to restabilize the joint and reduce the risk of recurrence [1].
Recovery stage | What happens | How long |
|---|---|---|
Immobilization | Shoulder held in a sling | Several weeks |
Physical therapy | Guided exercises to gradually recover muscle strength and range of motion, restabilize the joint, and reduce recurrence risk | Several months |
Full recovery | Normal shoulder use restored, including for athletes | Up to six months |
How Is a Bankart Lesion Different From a Hill-Sachs Lesion or a SLAP Tear?
A Bankart lesion is a tear of the cartilage rim of the shoulder socket, while a Hill-Sachs lesion is a dent in the shoulder bone and a SLAP tear affects the top of the labrum.
What's the difference between a Bankart lesion and a Hill-Sachs lesion?
A Hill-Sachs lesion and a Bankart lesion can happen for the same reason and, often, at the same time. When your shoulder bone forcefully dislocates, it jams against the rim of the shoulder socket.
This can tear the cartilage around the rim (your glenoid labrum), which is what a Bankart lesion is. It can also damage the shoulder bone itself, putting a dent in it, which is what a Hill-Sachs defect or lesion is [1].
What's the difference between a Bankart lesion and a SLAP tear?
A SLAP tear is another type of glenoid labrum tear that occurs on the top portion, from front to back. SLAP stands for Superior Labrum (top part of the labrum) Anterior to Posterior (front to back) tear.
This type of tear is less likely to happen from a shoulder dislocation. Instead, it often happens with forceful shoulder movements. It can tear all at once or gradually over time with repetitive strain [1].
Bankart lesions and SLAP tears have similar symptoms and potential complications. They can both destabilize your shoulder joint, causing pain and a risk of dislocation, and both might need surgical repair.
You're more likely to have a SLAP tear if you don't remember dislocating your shoulder and if you feel pain over the top of your shoulder socket. If you feel pain in the lower front, it might be a Bankart lesion [1].
Feature | Bankart lesion | SLAP tear | Hills-Sachs lesion |
|---|---|---|---|
What's injured | Cartilage ring at the lower front of the socket | Top part of the labrum, front to back | The shoulder bone itself (a dent) |
Usual cause | Shoulder forced out the front of the socket | Forceful shoulder movements or repetitive strain | Same dislocation that causes a Bankart lesion |
Pain location | Lower front of the shoulder socket | Over the top of the shoulder socket | Deep shoulder pain from dislocation |
Might need surgery | Yes, in some cases | Yes, in some cases | Assessed alongside the labrum injury |
What's the Outlook?
You may or may not need surgery for a Bankart lesion. In both cases, the outlook afterward is good. Most people recover well from a Bankart lesion, although full recovery can take up to six months [1].
The biggest risk after recovery is persistent shoulder instability causing your shoulder to dislocate and tear your labrum again. This is less likely after surgery and if you follow through with physical therapy [1].
Recovery from a Bankart lesion takes some time and effort, including several months of physical therapy. But most people who complete this program fully recover the use of their shoulder, including athletes [1].
What's the Bottom Line?
A Bankart lesion is the hidden injury behind a dislocated shoulder: the torn cartilage ring that a simple “pop it back in” doesn't fix. Because it leaves the joint unstable, it raises the chance of dislocating again, which makes getting it properly diagnosed and treated worthwhile. Not everyone needs surgery; many tears heal with a sling, rest, and months of physical therapy. But when the labrum has detached, bone was lost, or the shoulder keeps re-dislocating, a Bankart repair can restabilize the joint. Either way, the outlook is good, and most people, athletes included, fully recover shoulder use within about six months.
Explore Rinnit.com's library of clear, practical health guides on shoulder injuries, sports medicine, recovery, and rehabilitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Bankart lesion?
A Bankart lesion is a tear in the glenoid labrum, the ring of cartilage that lines and extends the shoulder socket and helps hold the joint together. It happens when the shoulder is forced out of the front of its socket.
How do you get a Bankart lesion?
A shoulder dislocation tears the supportive tissues around the joint. Dislocations are caused by significant force, most commonly from car crashes, sports injuries, and falls.
How common is it after a dislocated shoulder?
Very common. About 90% of shoulder dislocations go to the front of the socket, and between 87% and 100% of those involve a glenoid labrum tear.
Does popping the shoulder back in fix a Bankart lesion?
No. Moving the dislocated shoulder back into place won't fix the torn labrum. The tear is a longer-lasting injury that leaves the joint unstable and more likely to dislocate again.
What are the symptoms?
Shoulder pain (especially in the lower front of the socket), limited range of motion (trouble lifting, throwing, reaching, or even putting on a seatbelt), grinding or popping sensations, and a shoulder that feels loose or dislocates again.
What is a bony Bankart lesion?
A bony (or osseous) Bankart lesion is when both the glenoid labrum and the shoulder socket bone are injured: the tissue is torn and the bone is fractured. Bone damage is found in about 4 in 10 first-time anterior dislocations and is more common after repeated dislocations.
How is it diagnosed?
A provider takes your injury history, examines the shoulder for instability, and orders X-rays and an MRI to see the extent of the labrum damage and check for other injuries.
Does a Bankart lesion need surgery?
Not always. Some tears heal by themselves, but surgery may be recommended if the labrum detached from the bone, you have a bony Bankart lesion with bone loss, your shoulder keeps becoming unstable, or your work or activities rely heavily on the shoulder.
What does Bankart repair surgery involve?
The surgeon removes dead or damaged tissue, repairs the healthy tissue, and, if needed, reattaches the labrum to the socket bone using small anchors and stitches that are tightened to restabilize the joint. It's often done through shoulder arthroscopy (a small camera tube through a tiny incision), though severe injuries may need open surgery.
What is rehabilitation like?
The shoulder is immobilized in a sling for several weeks, followed by physical therapy with exercises that gradually rebuild muscle strength and range of motion, restabilize the joint, and reduce recurrence risk.
How long does recovery take?
Full recovery can take up to six months, including several months of physical therapy.
What's the outlook?
Good, whether or not you have surgery. Most people recover well and fully regain shoulder use, including athletes. The biggest risk afterward is persistent instability causing re-dislocation, which is less likely after surgery and with full physical therapy.
How is it different from a SLAP tear?
A SLAP tear happens on the top portion of the labrum, front to back, usually from forceful shoulder movements or repetitive strain rather than dislocation. Bankart lesions sit at the lower front and follow dislocations. Pain over the top of the socket suggests SLAP; pain in the lower front suggests Bankart.
Can a Bankart lesion and a Hill-Sachs lesion happen together?
Yes. When the shoulder forcefully dislocates, it jams against the socket rim. That can tear the rim cartilage (Bankart) and put a dent in the shoulder bone itself (Hill-Sachs), often at the same time.
What happens if it goes untreated?
A Bankart lesion can heal on its own but doesn't always heal well enough, leaving the joint unstable and more likely to dislocate and tear the labrum again. Your provider can advise whether your injury is likely to heal well without surgery.
Related Reading
Dislocated Shoulder: Symptoms, First Aid, Treatment & Recovery: Complete Guide: the injury that most often causes a Bankart lesion
SLAP Tear: Understanding Shoulder Labrum Injuries: the labrum tear that usually comes from a different cause
Rotator Cuff Tear: Symptoms, Causes, and Recovery Guide: another common shoulder injury worth ruling out
Arthrogram (Arthrography): What It Is, Why It's Done, What to Expect and Results explains how contrast dye and imaging show the ligaments, tendons and cartilage inside a joint, and what to expect.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic. Bankart Lesion (Glenoid Labrum Tear). Cleveland Clinic. Updated May 9, 2024. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/bankart-lesion-glenoid-labrum-tear
Tupe RN, et al. Anteroinferior Glenoid Labrum Lesion (Bankart Lesion). StatPearls. Updated August 3, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK587359/
Gaillard F, et al. Bankart lesion. Radiopaedia.org. Revised February 24, 2026. https://radiopaedia.org/articles/bankart-lesion?lang=us
Physiopedia. Bankart lesion. Physiopedia. Accessed October 14, 2026. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Bankart_lesion
Hwan Kim Y, et al. Effects of Rehabilitation in Bankart Lesion in Non-athletes: A Report of Three Cases. Open Med (Wars). 2019;14:369-375. PMID 31157302. https://doi.org/10.1515/med-2019-0037
Belk JW, et al. Shoulder Stabilization Versus Immobilization for First-Time Anterior Shoulder Dislocation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Level 1 Randomized Controlled Trials. Am J Sports Med. 2023;51(6):1634-1643. PMID 35148222. https://doi.org/10.1177/03635465211065403
Godin J, et al. Systematic review of rehabilitation versus operative stabilization for the treatment of first-time anterior shoulder dislocations. Sports Health. 2010;2(2):156-65. PMID 23015933. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738109359507
Medical Disclaimer
The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here.
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