Rotator cuff disease is a common disorder that affects 30 to 50 percent of people over the age of 50. The disease often leads to shoulder pain and loss of function. While many think of this as a ‘tear’ due to an injury or sustained over/misuse, some studies suggest genetics might play a role.
“People are living longer and more active lives, but a large percentage of these people may suffer from rotator cuff disease,” explains Dominique Dabija, a medical student at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “Identifying a genetic link can help early recognition of individuals at higher risk and could warrant application of prevention strategies for this specific population.
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One [study] found if an individual has a sibling with a rotator cuff tear, he or she is twice as likely to also have a tear and nearly five times more likely to have associated pain and loss of function.
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“Although there was a small number of studies in this literature review — pointing to a need for more studies on this topic — the consensus among all seven studies is rotator cuff disease is a heritable trait,” says Dabija.
[The study can be found here.]The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Studies reveal link between rotator cuff disease and genetics
