A shoulder specialist explains that most rotator cuff tears are degenerative and hard to prevent, with 50% of people experiencing one by age 65. The best defense: keep your shoulder and scapular muscles strong, fix your posture, and treat pain early with physical therapy.
One of the most common questions I get as a shoulder specialist is, how can I prevent a rotator cuff tear? Unfortunately, the answer is most of them can't be prevented. Most rotator cuff tears are degenerative. 50% of people at age 65 actually end up with rotator cuff tear, and that's due to the natural processes of your body. Now, the good news is you can do things to prevent the need for surgical treatment. You can maintain strength in your shoulders, particularly work on your scapula, maintain that stability in the back of your shoulder. So many of us spend our days like this, hunched forward. We can really work on mobility, and that can help us maintain strength strength and flexibility so that we hopefully will not have to undergo surgical treatment. And if it becomes symptomatic, the majority of people can actually benefit from physical therapy. The treatment of surgery and therapy really depends on age, but if you maintain strength, you're going to have your best odds of never having a rotator cuff repair.
