Background: Acromial spur is often recognized on plain X-rays in patients with rotator cuff tears. It is unclear if spur formations on the undersurface of acromion are primary changes causing rotator cuff tear or if the tear itself induces spur formation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between acromial spur formation on rotator cuff and age, the size of torn tendons, occupation, the duration of the symptom, trauma.
Methods: The subjects comprised of 269 shoulders who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between January 2008 and June 2010. There were 135 men and 134 women, 177 right and 92 left shoulders, their mean age was 62.7 years old, the mean duration of the symptom was 6.1months. We defined acromial spur as the protrusion from the inclination of the inferior arch, and we measured the distance from the anteroinferior edge of the acromion to the tip of the spur on scapular Y view.
Results: The incidence of acromial spur increased with groups older than 50 years old, but in groups older than 60 years old there was not tendency of the spur size to increase. The incidence of spurs in the group of patients who engaged in the primary sector of industry increased more than that of other sectors, and the spur size was larger.
Discussion: Acromial spur formation was related to the age and the activity of daily life and occupation. Therefore, it suggests that acromial spur formation may be related to the mechanical stress of the coracoacromial arch.
