Position of the acromioclavicular joint and relation to the critical shoulder angle in shoulders with rotator cuff tears

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the position of the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) and relation to the critical shoulder angle (CSA) in shoulders with rotator cuff tears (RCT). METHODS: In a matched pair study including 75 shoulders with arthroscopically validated RCT and 75 controls (mean age 59.4 ± 7.9 years) the position of the ACJ in relation to the glenoid and the CSA were measured on true ap radiographs. RESULTS: The CSA is larger (p = 0.0018) and the position of the ACJ is more lateral (p = 0.0016) in shoulders with RCT in comparison to matched controls. CONCLUSION: The more lateral position of the ACJ in shoulders with a large CSA might be an additional component in the multifactorial pathogenesis of RCT.