Introduction and Aims: A prospective analysis of the sonographic findings of asymptomatic shoulders in black patients over 40 years of age, to determine the prevalence of rotator cuff lesions in this group.

Method: Physical examination and bilateral sonograms were performed on 106 black patients, who visited the Trauma Clinic. Patients with shoulder trauma were excluded. Scans were made of sub-scapularis, supra-spinatus and infra-spinatus insertions. The size of the tears were measured in millimetres and divided in partially and full thickness tears.

Results: There were 66 male and 50 female patients. Mean age 52.8 years. Thirty-three patients had a history of previous trauma, but were asymptomatic at the time of the examination. The pain score for the whole group was 1.3 on an analogue scale of five, which means that pain is present now and then, but no medication is necessary. Forty-two cuff lesions were present in 34 patients. The biggest lesion (3.5 cm) was in a 73-year old patient. In 17 shoulders, the tear was more than one cm and in 13 shoulders it was a partial tear. There was almost no weakness of sub-scapularis, supra-spinatus and infra-spinatus.

Conclusion: Asymptomatic rotator cuff tears were as common in the black population as in the Caucasian population. The symptoms present are mild and the patients experienced it as normal. Weakness as such may not be a problem in patients with a rotator cuff tear. Weakness may become a problem if the tear increases in size. Pain may become a problem when the shoulder becomes unstable.

In this prospective analysis of the sonographic findings of asymptomatic shoulders to determine the prevalence of rotator cuff lesions in black patients over the age of 40 years, we examined 106 black patients.

Patients with shoulder trauma were excluded. Bilateral sonography was done on the subscapularis, supra-spinatus and infraspinatus insertions of 66 men and 50 women (mean age 52.8 years). The tears were measured and classed as partial or full thickness tears. In 33 patients, there was a history of previous trauma, but they were asymptomatic at the time of the examination. The pain score for the whole group was 1.3 on an analogue scale of 5, which means that pain is present intermittently but no medication is necessary. In 34 patients there were 42 cuff lesions. The largest (3.5 cm) was in a 73-year-old. In 17 shoulders the tear measured more than 1 cm, and in 13 shoulders the tear was partial. There was almost no weakness of subscapularis, supra-spinatus and infraspinatus muscles.

We concluded that asymptomatic rotator cuff tears are as common in the black population as in the Caucasian population.