Location

Philadelphia, PA

Start Date

8-5-2019 1:00 PM

End Date

8-5-2019 4:00 PM

Description

Introduction: Rotator cuff tears are a common pathology presenting in much of the population especially those with repetitive overhead activity. There are many papers that looked at the supraspinatus as the most commonly torn rotator cuff muscle, however, there is a lack of research on the correlation between muscle morphology and injury. This was the framework for our anatomical study using cadavers, in which the circumference of the muscle bellies and tendon widths of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles were measured.

Methods: 27 Cadavers provided by the Physician assistant program and first-year Osteopathic students in their respective anatomy courses were used in this study. Our research entailed an examination of the circumference of the infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscle bellies and their tendon widths.

Results: Our data shows a positive correlation between supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscle circumference vs tendon width. Therefore, increasing muscle circumference through targeted rotator cuff exercises can increase the width of the tendon. Total supraspinatus r= 0.2865 and total infraspinatus r=0.3157

Conclusion: Further research with a larger experimental size will be needed to further prove a stronger positive correlation. We hope to see a clinical translation of this project, by evaluating athletes with a high susceptibility for rotator cuff injuries.

Embargo Period

5-24-2019

COinS
 
May 8th, 1:00 PM May 8th, 4:00 PM

Muscle Circumference And Tendon Width Correlation In Rotator Cuff Tears

Philadelphia, PA

Introduction: Rotator cuff tears are a common pathology presenting in much of the population especially those with repetitive overhead activity. There are many papers that looked at the supraspinatus as the most commonly torn rotator cuff muscle, however, there is a lack of research on the correlation between muscle morphology and injury. This was the framework for our anatomical study using cadavers, in which the circumference of the muscle bellies and tendon widths of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles were measured.

Methods: 27 Cadavers provided by the Physician assistant program and first-year Osteopathic students in their respective anatomy courses were used in this study. Our research entailed an examination of the circumference of the infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscle bellies and their tendon widths.

Results: Our data shows a positive correlation between supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscle circumference vs tendon width. Therefore, increasing muscle circumference through targeted rotator cuff exercises can increase the width of the tendon. Total supraspinatus r= 0.2865 and total infraspinatus r=0.3157

Conclusion: Further research with a larger experimental size will be needed to further prove a stronger positive correlation. We hope to see a clinical translation of this project, by evaluating athletes with a high susceptibility for rotator cuff injuries.