Shoulder Rotator Cuff Tear

This middle-aged man complained of shoulder pain after a skiing accident. An MRI was ordered, and revealed a tear of the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is composed of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis and teres minor) that attach to the humerus (long arm bone). The rotator cuff degenerates in many middle-aged and older individuals, and is prone to tearing. MRI can help physicians diagnose tears of the rotator cuff, which can then be repaired in many cases.