Patrick DenardDirector Oregon Shoulder Fellowship, Oregon Shoulder Institute · Director Oregon Shoulder Fellowship at Oregon Shoulder Institute

2 findings you can ignore on your shoulder MRI

11 May 2026 · 1 min

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In this brief educational video, the speaker highlights two MRI findings that are frequently incidental and not the source of shoulder pain. First, acromioclavicular (AC) joint arthritis appears in about 90% of people over 30 on MRI and is usually painless, becoming symptomatic only in individuals who perform extensive overhead activities such as weightlifting. Second, a superior labrum anterior‑posterior (SLAP) tear is commonly reported in people aged 40‑50, yet most cases are asymptomatic. The speaker cautions viewers not to assume these imaging diagnoses are the cause of their discomfort and advises a thorough clinical evaluation by a shoulder specialist to determine the true pain generator.

Chapters

2 findings you can almost always ignore on your shoulder MRI. Number 1, AC joint arthritis. 90% of people over the age of 30 have this condition on MRI, meaning it's essentially normal. That's your acromioclavicular joint right here. It's rarely painful. It can become painful in people who do a lot of overhead activities, such as weightlifters, but most of the time it's an incidental finding. Number 2, the next common one that I hear on a report that people get really worried about is a SLAP tear, superior labrum anterior posterior. Again, Again, the majority of people over the age about 40 to 50 will have that finding. Pretty rare that it's symptomatic. So don't just look at the diagnosis on the MRI and think that you have a problem. Make sure you evaluate it with a shoulder specialist to really help you determine what is the cause of your shoulder pain.