Rotator cuff (RC) tears have high prevalence rates, affecting 40%-62% of individuals aged over 60. Although these tears are not necessarily symptomatic, one-third will become symptomatic over time, causing shoulder pain and disability with large negative implications on social life and societal costs. Therefore, understanding the progression of symptoms in asymptomatic individuals is imperative. The first aim of this research proposal is to determine if structural factors (tear characteristics and other shoulder structures), biomechanical,
pain-related, and psychosocial factors differ between a symptomatic group with an RC tear versus an asymptomatic group with an RC tear versus a no-tear group. Comparing those three groups is necessary to attribute possible differences to the presence of symptoms (comparing the symptomatic with the asymptomatic group) or the presence of a tear (comparing the asymptomatic with the notear group. The second aim is to determine whether other structural, biomechanical, pain-related, and psychosocial factors are risk factors for symptom development in an asymptomatic RC population.