18/05/2026
Often, people are sent for scans to try and understand "what is going on".
This study looked at 602 people.
492 without shoulder pain and 110 with shoulder pain.
They scanned all of their shoulders.
What they found was that 98.7% of people had what would be described as “abnormalities” on their MRI.
This included things like tendinopathies and even partial or full thickness tears.
Importantly, this was not just in people with pain.
People without pain also had these findings.
This raises an important question.
Should we still be viewing these as “abnormalities”, or are they in many cases a normal part of aging?
It also helps explain why scans do not always match symptoms.
We have unpacked this further in the blog if you want to explore it in more detail.
Link:
https://www.adaptmovement.com.au/post/good-and-bad-news-for-shoulder-pain
This content is general information only and reflects Sam’s current understanding and interpretation of research and clinical experience. It is not individual medical advice. Please speak with your doctor or treating healthcare professional about your specific situation.