Rotator Cuff Injury

Injury to the rotator cuff is one of the most common causes of shoulder pain and dysfunction in active people, and it's a common reason to seek care with the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine team. Our team of clinicians works hard through research to find answers for better surgical techniques and treatments for this common problem.

Faculty members collaborating on research related to rotator cuff injury prevention and treatment include:

• Christopher L. Camp, M.D.
• Shawn W. O'Driscoll, M.D., Ph.D.
• John M. Tokish, M.D.

Research highlights

Review a complete list of publications on rotator cuff injury and repair by Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine researchers. Here are the highlights:

• Too many steroid injections prior to rotator cuff repair causes increased need for repeat surgery.

  Desai VS, Camp CL, Boddapati V, Dines JS, Brockmeier SF, Werner BC. Increasing numbers of shoulder corticosteroid injections within a year preoperatively may be associated with a higher rate of subsequent revision rotator cuff surgery. Arthroscopy. 2019;35:45.

• Systematic, best approach to diagnose and treat injuries to the subscapularis muscle of the rotator cuff.

  Lee J, Shukla DR, Sanchez-Sotelo J. Subscapularis tears: Hidden and forgotten no more. Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery. 2018;2:74.

• When is a lower trapezius tendon transfer indicated for patients with large, irreparable rotator cuff injuries, and how do these patient do after surgery?

  Lower trapezius transfer with Achilles tendon augmentation: Indication and clinical results. Aibinder WR, Elhassan BT. Obere Extremität. 2018;13:269.

• Pros and cons of surgical options for irreparable rotator cuff tear in young patients.

  Camp C, Elhassan B, Dines J. Clinical faceoff: Irreparable rotator cuff tears in young, active patients: Tendon transfer versus superior capsular reconstruction? Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 2018;476:2313.

• Arthroscopic treatment of massive rotator cuff tears; a review of the outcomes.

  Woodmass J, Wagner E, Chang M, Welp K, Elhassan B, Higgins L, Warner J. Arthroscopic treatment of massive posterosuperior rotator cuff tears: A critical analysis review. JBJS Reviews. 2018;6:e3.

• When should an acromioplasty be performed for rotator cuff injury? Pros and cons.

  Clinical faceoff: What is the role of acromioplasty in the treatment of rotator cuff disease? McFarland E, Matsen F 3rd, Sanchez-Sotelo J. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research. 2018;476:1707.

• Rotator cuff injuries are the second most common reason for time out of plan in professional baseball, a study of the top 50 injuries.

  Camp CL, Dines JS, van der List JP, Conte S, Conway J, Altcheck DW, Coleman SH, Pearle AD. Summative report on time out of play for major and minor league baseball: An analysis of 49,955 injuries from 2011 through 2016. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018;46:1727.

• When is a tendon transfer the best option for treating a large, irreparable rotator cuff injury?

  Clark NJ, Elhassan BT. The role of tendon transfers for irreparable rotator cuff tears. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2018;11:141.

• Are all failed rotator cuff tears the same? What role does age play in surgical decision-making and outcomes?

  Elhassan BT, Cox RM, Shukla DR, Lee J, Murthi AM, Tashjian RZ, Abboud JA. Management of failed rotator cuff repair in young patients. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2017;25:e261.