Why diabetes might make shoulder tears worse
Influence of Diabetes-Induced Glycation and Oxidative Stress on the Human Rotator Cuff
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Even without trauma, diabetes alone correlates with severe tendon degeneration at the cellular level.
Most people assume rotator cuff tears come from overuse or injury — but this shows metabolic health (like blood sugar) may be a bigger factor than physical strain.
Practical Takeaways
If you have diabetes, prioritize blood sugar control (HbA1c < 6.5%) to potentially reduce risk of tendon degeneration and shoulder injuries.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Even without trauma, diabetes alone correlates with severe tendon degeneration at the cellular level.
Most people assume rotator cuff tears come from overuse or injury — but this shows metabolic health (like blood sugar) may be a bigger factor than physical strain.
Practical Takeaways
If you have diabetes, prioritize blood sugar control (HbA1c < 6.5%) to potentially reduce risk of tendon degeneration and shoulder injuries.
Publication
Journal
Antioxidants
Year
2022
Authors
Tomoya Yoshikawa, Y. Mifune, A. Inui, H. Nishimoto, K. Yamaura, S. Mukohara, Issei Shinohara, R. Kuroda
Related Content
Claims (6)
People with diabetes or high blood sugar levels tend to have more harmful sugar-related proteins in their shoulder tendon tissue, which could make tendon damage worse.
If you have diabetes and a shoulder tendon tear not caused by injury, your tendon cells are more likely to be dying off — 20% in diabetics versus just 3% in non-diabetics.
If you have diabetes and a worn-out shoulder tendon (not from injury), your tendon might be healing poorly because the 'strong' collagen is going down and 'weak, inflamed' collagen is going up.
When your blood sugar is too high, sugar can stick to your body's proteins and cells, which can damage them and cause inflammation.
People with diabetes who have shoulder tendon problems show more signs of cell stress in their tendon tissue compared to those without diabetes — their cells have higher levels of harmful molecules linked to aging and damage.