Prevalence and Associated Factors of Rotator Cuff Tears and Shoulder Pain in Older Baseball Players: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Rotator cuff tears (RCTs) are common in older athletes and are a leading cause of shoulder pain and movement limitation. Nevertheless, the prevalence and associated factors of RCTs in older baseball players remain unclear. Purpose: To determine the prevalence, symptoms, and associated factors of RCTs in older baseball players. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 260 older baseball players (520 shoulders; mean age, 69.3 ± 6.1 years) who participated in league games organized by the Kanagawa Over-60 Rubber Baseball Association were included. RCTs were diagnosed using ultrasonography. Variables assessed included age, total years of baseball experience, smoking history, history of present illness (hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia), and playing position. After determining the prevalence of RCTs and the proportion of shoulder pain, we performed a logistic regression analysis to identify factors related to RCTs on the throwing side. Results: Among the 260 participants (520 shoulders), the overall prevalence of RCTs was 37.7%. Also, 26.5% had a tear on the throwing side, 22.3% on the nonthrowing side, and 11.2% on bilateral sides, with no significant difference between sides. Among the 69 participants (mean age, 71.2 ± 5.6) with RCTs on the throwing side, 46 (66.7%) were asymptomatic. Using logistic regression analysis, we identified older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.06 [95% CI, 1.01-1.12]) and total years of baseball experience (OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 1-1.04]) as factors associated with RCTs on the throwing side. After excluding players with RCTs on the bilateral sides, total years of baseball experience (OR, 1.03 [95% CI, 1-1.05]) and participation frequency per week (OR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.04-1.89]) were significantly associated with RCTs on the throwing side. Conclusion: This study revealed that 26.5% of older baseball players had RCTs in their throwing shoulder, of which two-thirds were asymptomatic. Additionally, the prevalence of RCTs was similar on the throwing and nonthrowing sides. Age was the most relevant factor associated with RCTs on the throwing side. However, after excluding those with RCTs on the bilateral sides, a high frequency of weekly participation was more strongly associated with the presence of RCTs than was age.