Bad posture impact on rotator cuff tears

The impact of posture on rotator cuff tears 

Research from the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow surgery compared people’s posture with their incidence of rotator cuff tears. 

They examined people’s posture and out them into one of four categories:

• Ideal alignment
• Kyphotic-lordotic posture (hunchback)
• Flat-back posture (straightening of the normal curves)
• Sway-back posture (pelvis is shifted forward

Then they did ultrasounds to identify rotator cuff tears.  The percent of people with rotator cuff tears with and without symptoms was recorded.  The results were astounding!!!

• Ideal alignment = 2.9%
• Kyphotic-lordotic = 65.8%
• Flat-back posture = 54.3%
• Sway-back posture = 48.9%

 If you had good posture you had a 2.9% chance of having a rotator cuff…. If you had poor posture your likelihood of have a rotator cuff tear skyrocketed to between 48.9-65.8%!!!

We know that poor posture can lead to neck pain, back pain and headaches but this study found a correlation of poor posture with shoulder injury as well.  Your thoracic (midback) posture will affect your scapular (shoulder blade) function, this will then affect your shoulder.  If your spine is not functioning well then you will see the shoulder having to compensate leading to a higher risk of injury.  This is why if you are having shoulder or rotator cuff problems you should also address your posture and spine biomechanics.  Go see your chiropractor.  

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Reference:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25441565