Hey ,
Happy Wednesday!
I already wrote an outline for this week's post when this study showed up in my inbox. It stopped me in my tracks - and I couldn’t wait to share it with you!
Shoulder MRI Study Findings:
A recent study in Norway invited more than 600 adults aged 41 to 76 to undergo shoulder MRI scans and movement tests. The
researchers wanted to see how common “rotator cuff damage” were among everyday people, not just in those headed for surgery with severe shoulder issues.
- About 99% of
participants showed at least one change in their rotator cuff on MRI, even if they had no symptoms.
- Of all participants, approximately 1 in 4 had evidence of rotator cuff tendon irritation (tendinopathy) on their MRI scan, regardless of whether they reported pain or not.
- About 2 in 3 had partial tears.
- Roughly 1 in 10 had a full-thickness tear, many without being aware of it.
To conclude: most
shoulders show “damage” on scans, even in people without any pain. Clearly, pain and scan results are not one and the same.
Images do not equal pain:
This study
reminds us that “abnormal” on a scan is often completely normal for our age and activity level. Many of the changes that look scary on the imaging are more like wrinkles or grey hair inside the shoulder – they are the signs of a shoulder that has been used, not necessarily a shoulder that is damaged beyond use.
, have you been told that you have:
- a “tear”
- “degeneration”
- or “tendinopathy”?
This new study (and many like it) reminds us that “tears,” “degeneration,” and “tendinopathy” do not automatically mean your shoulder is broken or unsafe to move. It simply means the MRI can
see changes common in people like you and me.
Pain does not always mean danger:
What about the pain then?
What causes the pain?
Pain is real, and it absolutely deserves care and respect. At the same time, pain does not always mean something is being harmed right now. Our nervous system can become extra
protective, especially if we are stressed, tired, worried, or have been in pain for a while.
This means:
- You can have pain with
very little change showing on a scan.
- You can also have a “big” tear on a scan and little or even no pain at all.
This means that the whole you – body, brain, muscles, tendons, joints, bones,
hormones, sleep, what you ate for supper last night and even your life stresses – are all involved in how you feel pain (speaking of life context - daylight savings time change is upon us, and it is a stressful event for our bodies.)
Now, does
this matter for your yoga practice?
Key takeaway - pain and scan results are not the same. I hope this knowledge gives you more confidence—not fear—about movement.
Instead of worrying that movement might make things worse, you can use this information to know it is often safe to explore gentle movement, even if you have been told you have changes or tears in your shoulder.
Science supports practising with curiosity, listening to your body, and focusing on what feels good and possible, rather than being limited by the scary words from a scan. Pain can change, often for the better, with gradual, supportive practice.
In practice,
it might look something like this:
- Exploring gentle ranges of motion in your shoulders.
- Using props, wall support, or smaller arm movements on days when your shoulder feels sensitive.
- Noticing when fear or worry spikes your pain, and giving yourself permission to back off, breathe, and try again another day.
Rather than trying to “fix” your shoulder, we can focus on building trust: trust in your body, trust in your capacity to adapt,
and trust that you can still move in meaningful, enjoyable ways.
Many people find that staying active with mindful, supportive movement can promote healing, and build confidence and agency over time.
A hopeful way forward:
If you’ve ever left a medical appointment feeling scared by words like “tear” or “degeneration,” I hope this research offers some relief. Your shoulder is not just its MRI report.
You are a whole person, and your shoulder is a living, adaptable part of you. With kind attention, gradual loading, and supportive practices like yoga, many people reduce pain and improve function, even when their scan still shows a "tear."
While some of these changes in your shoulder may always be visible on scans, your comfort and ability to move can still improve significantly. This means progress does not always require a "perfect" MRI—what matters most is how you feel and function in your daily life.
And in classes, we will keep honouring your experience, working with your nervous system, and choosing movements that feel safe, strong, and possible – one breath, and one shoulder, at a time.
For those curious:
And this is not just the shoulder story.
Similar patterns appear in research on other joints as well:
Knees
- A 2019 analysis in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that MRI signs of knee osteoarthritis (such as cartilage defects and bone marrow lesions) are present in 19–43% of pain-free adults aged 40 and older.
- Across
63 studies (5,397 knees) up to three‑quarters of pain-free 70‑year‑old's had cartilage damage.
- Other studies show that incidental meniscal tears on MRI are common in middle‑aged and older adults, even when the knee feels fine.
Hips
- A 2012 study of asymptomatic volunteers found 73% of hips had at least one MRI abnormality, and 69% had a labral tear, despite no hip pain.
Spine
- Lumbar spine studies show that many people without back pain have disc bulges or herniations on MRI.
- Reviews of spinal MRI consistently describe incidental, mostly benign findings that are often unrelated to the person’s symptoms.
All these studies underline one vital message: imaging shows age- and use‑related changes that do not reliably signal pain, danger or fragility.
With all this in mind, let’s move.
