Adverse Muscle Changes and Possible Therapeutic Targets for Rotator Cuff Muscle Atrophy and Fatty Infiltration

Rotator cuff tears are among the most prevalent musculotendinous injuries treated by orthopedic surgeons. Outcomes following attempted surgical repair are highly dependent on tear size and muscle quality. It is the aim of this review to outline the natural history of rotator cuff muscle degeneration following tendon tears, describe the correlation between muscle pathology and clinical outcomes, and highlight advances in basic-translational research that point toward novel therapeutic approaches for this troublesome injury process.