Biomusculoskeletal drivers of shoulder pain in rotator cuff tears
Official title: Biomechanics Contributions to Symptoms and Joint Health in Individuals with Rotator Cuff Tears
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11333838 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project will explore why some people with a torn rotator cuff have pain and others don’t by looking at nerves, brain signals, and shoulder muscle control.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | June 20, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $340,453 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR084273-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333838 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with symptomatic rotator cuff tears, asymptomatic tear carriers, and healthy controls without tears.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without shoulder problems may not directly benefit from the intervention.
What this research studies
This project uses brain and nerve imaging, along with assessments of how people move and feel, to understand why symptoms vary in rotator cuff tear patients. It builds on an existing study and adds a new angle to examine muscle control and joint health in the same groups of people. The goal is to see how neuromuscular factors relate to pain and function, beyond tendon damage. Results could help tailor exercise or rehabilitation to individual needs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to more personalized therapies that reduce pain and improve shoulder function for people with rotator cuff tears.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests neuromuscular control and brain–body interactions influence shoulder symptoms, but this project adds an integrated neuromuscular and joint-health perspective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nichols, Jennifer a. — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Nichols, Jennifer a.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Meltblown scaffolds to help irreparable rotator cuff tears
A new 3-D biomaterial scaffold made from meltblown technology aims to improve interposition grafts for people with irreparable rotator cuff tears.
-
Predicting How Exercise Helpful Rotator Cuff Tears Will Turn Out
Aimed at people with rotator cuff tears, the grant investigates how a personalized exercise program might lead to better shoulder function and fewer surgeries.
-
Nervous system role in recovering from painful rotator cuff tears
This project looks at how brain and nervous system factors influence recovery and pain after rotator cuff tears to help tailor treatments for people suffering from this condition.
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Turning harmful shoulder fat into healing beige fat with targeted nanomedicine
This project uses tiny medicine-filled nanoparticles to turn the harmful fat that builds up in torn shoulder muscles into healing, energy-burning fat to help people recover after rotator cuff tears.
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Genetic links to rotator cuff tears and muscle fatty change
This project looks for genetic differences that raise the risk of rotator cuff tears, lead to fatty changes in shoulder muscles, and influence outcomes after surgery or physical therapy for people with atraumatic rotator cuff tears.
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Who will benefit from shoulder exercise therapy for rotator cuff tears
This project aims to find which people with rotator cuff tears do well with personalized exercise-based shoulder therapy.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.