Are Torn Rotator Cuffs Common?

[JoshB]

I know three other people with celiac disease. Two of them have torn at least one rotator cuff. I've done this as well. Is it just a freakish coincidence, or is this a very common problem with celiac disease? Anyone else had this happen?

[kareng]

I know three other people with celiac disease. Two of them have torn at least one rotator cuff. I've done this as well. Is it just a freakish coincidence, or is this a very common problem with celiac disease? Anyone else had this happen?

My hub, the guy across the sreet and the guy next door have all had this. None of them have Celiac. 2 required somesort of surgery & one just resting the shoulder. I'm sure I know other non-celiacs who have had this. Its seems pretty common.

[RL2011]

I know three other people with celiac disease. Two of them have torn at least one rotator cuff. I've done this as well. Is it just a freakish coincidence, or is this a very common problem with celiac disease? Anyone else had this happen?

I would guess the answer is that rotator cuff injuries are common as we age and a person suffering from celiac disease might be less active compared to people without celiac disease... it is safe to conclude that maybe people that are less athletic and even more less active if you have celiac disease...resulting in people with celiac disease sustaining a higher incidence of rotator cuff tears as compared to the general population.

No idea! Could be. I suggest we all keep fit and strong.

[kareng]

The more active people I know, get the rotator cuff tears. We were white water rafting & the guide told someone that if he kept paddling the way he was, he would blow out his rotator cuff. I think overuse or incorrect use can cause it.

[kareng]

Here's from Mayo clinic:

Open Original Shared Link

Common causes of rotator cuff injuries include:

Normal wear and tear. Increasingly after age 40, normal wear and tear on your rotator cuff can cause a breakdown of fibrous protein (collagen) in the cuff's tendons and muscles. This makes them more prone to degeneration and injury. With age, you may also develop calcium deposits within the cuff or arthritic bone spurs that can pinch or irritate your rotator cuff.

Poor posture. When you slouch your neck and shoulders forward, the space where the rotator cuff muscles reside can become smaller. This can allow a muscle or tendon to become pinched under your shoulder bones (including your collarbone), especially during overhead activities, such as throwing.

Falling. Using your arm to break a fall or falling on your arm can bruise or tear a rotator cuff tendon or muscle.

Lifting or pulling. Lifting an object that's too heavy or doing so improperly

[RL2011]

Here's from Mayo clinic:

Open Original Shared Link

Common causes of rotator cuff injuries include:

Normal wear and tear. Increasingly after age 40, normal wear and tear on your rotator cuff can cause a breakdown of fibrous protein (collagen) in the cuff's tendons and muscles. This makes them more prone to degeneration and injury. With age, you may also develop calcium deposits within the cuff or arthritic bone spurs that can pinch or irritate your rotator cuff.

Poor posture. When you slouch your neck and shoulders forward, the space where the rotator cuff muscles reside can become smaller. This can allow a muscle or tendon to become pinched under your shoulder bones (including your collarbone), especially during overhead activities, such as throwing.

Falling. Using your arm to break a fall or falling on your arm can bruise or tear a rotator cuff tendon or muscle.

Lifting or pulling. Lifting an object that's too heavy or doing so improperly — especially overhead — can strain or tear your tendons or muscles. Likewise, pulling something, such as a high-poundage archery bow, may cause an injury.

Repetitive stress. Repetitive overhead movement of your arms can stress your rotator cuff muscles and tendons, causing inflammation and eventually tearing. This occurs often in athletes, especially baseball pitchers, swimmers and tennis players. It's also common among people in the building trades, such as painters and carpenters.

risk-factors

Risk factors

The following factors may increase your risk of having a rotator cuff injury:

Age. As you get older, your risk of a rotator cuff injury increases. Rotator cuff tears are most common in people older than 40.

Being an athlete. Athletes who regularly use repetitive motions, such as baseball pitchers, archers and tennis players, have a greater risk of having a rotator cuff injury.

Working in the construction trades. Carpenters and painters, who also use repetitive motions, have an increased risk of injury.

Having poor posture. A forward-shoulder posture can cause a muscle or tendon to become irritated and inflamed when you throw or perform overhead activities.

Having weak shoulder muscles. This risk factor can be decreased or eliminated with shoulder-strengthening exercises, especially for the less commonly strengthened muscles on the back of the shoulder and around the shoulder blades.

Great info!

[IrishHeart]

I think it is a fairly common problem, however it is an interesting question you pose--in relationship to celiac.

I had problems with both shoulders in 2003 & 2004. Blew one out rowing and the other...who the heck knows? breathing?

I was swimming and fairly active, so I was surprised when it

happened.

One required surgery for bone spurs, calcium deposits

and acromioplasty and the other, arthroscopy. 6 weeks of rehab each time.

When I asked the doctor why did this happen? He said "wear & tear." oh, okay.

I rehabbed, but my back, neck and shoulders still give me major pain. In fact, I am in PT for them right now. My hips hurt too and they all grew much worse as the celiac symptoms developed. I never thought my growing muscles/joint/bone pain was connected until my DX when it all made sense.

I am thinking that IN MY CASE, weak muscles possibly

from celiac and inflammation --which helped develop

osteoarthritis --contributed to my rotator cuff issues.

Yes, I agree non-celiacs have shoulder issues, too, but I do find it interesting that one reason offered in the article Karen posted is" Having weak shoulder muscles. This risk factor can be decreased or eliminated with shoulder-strengthening exercises, especially for the less commonly strengthened muscles on the back of the shoulder and around the shoulder blades."

so then,

Why do muscles become weak?

Malnutrition is a possible culprit.

Mine are very weak and require major rehabilitation. but they do not respond "normally" as I am stil recovering. Doctor says "give it time"...oh, okay.

Of course, there are dozens more "reasons" for shoulder problems but your question has merit and it will be interesting to see if others have this problem too.

[love2travel]

Interesting. Both my rotator cuffs are torn - and HURT! I had never thought of a correlation between that and celiac, though, because mine result from nearly four years of back/shoulder, etc. injuries, compensating for those injuries and resultant poor posture (I must lie down much of the time due to pain). My massage therapist works them each week - ouch!

[CR5442]

Yes, I have a rotator cuff injury which flares up if I have a bad digestive day or too much gluten. I haven't been diagnosed yet but it is looking pretty likely I am celiac or at least very gluten intolerant. After physio it has calmed down a lot but I can hear it click alot when lifting things. I try to keep my diet straight so it doesn't flare.

[modiddly16]

I've torn my rotator but I was a pitcher...so its a sports injury that happened prior to diagnosis!

[lynnelise]

My shoulder has been in pain for years now. Started when I was lifting weights pretty heavy. No clue if my rotator cuff is involved or not. My doctor says it's probably arthritis and that due to age my bone density is too high for an x-ray to be accurate and to take Advil. I wake up all through the night because I lay wrong on it and I'm getting sick of it.

My mother-in-law slipped on ice and shredded her rotator cuff. She is not celiac so I think it's just a hazard of a highly used joint.

[tarnalberry]

I see this sort of thing in my yoga students fairly often. It's a poor-use sort of thing. Proper alignment and stabilization of the shoulder joint is not encouraged by most of our day to day postures and many of our activities. The most stable rotational movement of our shoulder is a style similar to a backstroke, rather than forward overhand which people engage in more. If the shoulder blade is restricted in movement (also VERY common in many of our day to day postures), it only makes this worse. Being active doesn't really guard against it because you can be very active but still have poor form for that particular joint.