SHOULDER ARTHROSCOPY

Q:A:I have been diagnosed with a rotator cuff tear, but I don’t recall injuring my shoulder. How did this happen? The development of rotator cuff damage is multifactorial, relating to a combination of age-related changes in the rotator cuff tendon, genetic factors and injury. The widely held belief that rotator cuff tears are the result of specific injuries or overuse is overly simplistic and fails to recognize the importance of aging and genetic elements. In fact, it is these last two elements that play a more significant role in the risk of developing rotator cuff disorders which is why rotator cuff injuries that require surgery are quite rare in patients under the age of 40 despite the fact that patients in this cohort are often in engaging in the highest risk activities.

A study published in the July 2021 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery by Yanik et al. examined the UK Biobank, a large genetic database in the United Kingdom, in an effort to explore links between specific genetic markers and the development of rotator cuff disorders. While preliminary, they did discover an association between something called the CREB5 gene and rotator cuff disease. The conclusion of this finding is not that patients who carry this gene are destined to undergo rotator cuff surgery and those who don’t will not, but rather adds to the body of evidence that there is something occurring at a deeper cellular level that contributes to rotator cuff problems and not injuries alone. It also lends some credibility to the theory that at some point detection of these markers may allow us to identify patients at highest risk for rotator cuff problems and perhaps develop strategies to prevent them.

To learn more about rotator cuff disorders visit ohioshouldercenter.com 36060 Euclid Ave., Suite 104 Willoughby 440-942-1050 9500 Mentor Ave., Suite 210 Mentor 440-352-1711 www.ohioshouldercenter.com