Using genetics to predict a common shoulder injury

The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons in the shoulder. They help move your arm all around. You use them when you reach up, or reach your back. A rotator cuff tear is a tear in one of the tendons. Wear and tear or age can weaken the tendons. This makes them more likely to tear. A rotator cuff tear often causes pain around your shoulder. Most people will suffer from a rotator cuff problem at some point. A tear can sideline people who need their arm to do their job, or sport. Carpenters, painters, baseball players, and swimmers are examples. Falling on your arm or lifting something heavy can also tear your rotator cuff. But, some doctors found flaws in tendons cause weakness. Abnormal structural fibers and blood vessels can also cause weakness. These do not have to do with overuse. Genes control these changes. So, researchers think that changes in our genes may predict who is at risk for rotator cuff tears. Scientists at Vanderbilt will use BioVU to look for people with rotator cuff injuries. They will focus on adults between the ages of 50 and 65. They will look for a link between gene changes and rotator cuff tears. They will compare the genes of people with tears, to people with no tears. The results of the study will help us understand this type of injury. This could lead to new ways to treat it. It may also help us predict who is at risk. It may even help us learn how to prevent it.