Rotator Cuff Tear Related Shoulder Osteoarthritis and Vitamin D: A Brief Review of its Potential Healing Role

Osteoarthritis, the most prevalent form of arthritis remains relatively impervious to any desired reversal or cessation of its immense progressive impacts on function and life quality in the older adult population. Moreover, even if available, drug treatments may not be indicated, efficacious, or safe and commonly fail to alter the disease directly including joint tissue damage, inflammation, and muscle pathology. At the shoulder, osteoarthritis, which commonly implicates some degree of rotator cuff tendon derangement, commonly induces the onset and progression of debilitating upper arm mobility impairments and dysfunction. Although surgery can help to some degree, this may not be suitable for those in advanced years, or universally successful. Building on a prior in-depth overview on this topic, here we present a synthesis of some data that discuss a possible role for vitamin D supplementation as one non drug non-surgical intervention that may help mitigate the severity of shoulder osteoarthritis and any associated supportive tissue damage, even in later life but this is not affirmed to date. We conclude however, this issue is a promising one, thus should be intently explored to prevent overlooking a promising non-narcotic osteoarthritis pain and inflammatory moderator and one with tendon and bone regeneration capacities that could foster shoulder stabilizing and mobility functions as well as prevent their demise quite markedly, safely, and at low cost.