Purpose.In the last few years, evidence has emerged to support the possible association between increased BMI and susceptibility to some musculoskeletal diseases. We systematically review the literature to clarify whether obesity is a risk factor for the onset of tendinopathy.Methods.We searched PubMed, Cochrane Central, and Embase Biomedical databases using the keywords “obesity,” “overweight,” and “body mass index” linked in different combinations with the terms “tendinopathy,” “tendinitis,” “tendinosis,” “rotator cuff,” “epicondylitis,” “wrist,” “patellar,” “quadriceps,” “Achilles,” “Plantar Fascia,” and “tendon.”Results.Fifteen studies were included. No level I study on this subject was available, and the results provided are ambiguous. However, all the 5 level II studies report the association between obesity measured in terms of BMI and tendon conditions, with OR ranging between 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1–2.2) and 5.6 (1.9–16.6).Conclusions.The best evidence available to date indicates that obesity is a risk factor for tendinopathy. Nevertheless, further studies should be performed to establish the real strength of the association for each type of tendinopathy, especially because the design of the published studies does not allow identifying a precise cause-effect relationship and the specific role of obesity independently of other metabolic conditions.

(1) Background: Even though rotator cuff tears are the most frequent tendon injuries in adults, the effectiveness of conservatively treated partial-thickness tears still remains a matter of debate. The purpose of this review is to compare corticosteroid injections to other drugs in the treatment of partial rotator cuff tears, focusing on the effectiveness of this therapeutic modality in terms of pain and shoulder functionality. (2) Methods: A systematic electronic search was performed using the PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. All studies comparing the use of corticosteroids and other infiltrative techniques in the treatment of partial lesions (excluding studies that considered subacromial impingement as inclusion criteria) were pooled, data were extracted and statistically analyzed. (3) Results: Nine studies were included in this systematic review. Those studies, composed by a total of 494 shoulders treated, have been published from 1985 to 2019. All compared techniques have shown a significant improvement over baseline condition. PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injections have been shown to be significantly more effective in both functional and pain control only in the long term. (4) Conclusions: None of the techniques prevail indisputably on the others. Anyway, the treatment of partial rotator cuff tears with PRP injections seems to lead to significantly better outcomes in terms of pain and shoulder function in long term follow up. Whereas in short and medium term follow up, PRP injections was superior only in terms of shoulder function. The small number of studies on prolotherapy did not enable us to provide an opinion on the outcomes of this technique.

Introduction: Kinematic alignment (KA) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is by definition a pure femoral resurfacing procedure aiming to restore the individual prearthritic anatomy. However, when a 2 mm compensation is systematically used on the worn side, the variability in cartilage thickness in the unworn compartment might alter the accuracy of the technique. This study aimed to validate two intraoperative femoral cartilage thickness measurement techniques by comparing them to the photographic method, which measures cartilage thickness through pixel analysis of bone‐cut images. The study hypothesized that the two intraoperative methods are comparable and similarly accurate within 0.5 mm of the photographic method.Methods: Seventy cartilage thickness measurements from seventy patients with end‐stage knee osteoarthritis were prospectively collected. Two intraoperative techniques were evaluated: the electrocautery tip method (Method A) and the ruler method (Method B), performed before and after distal femoral bone resections, respectively. The postoperative photographic analysis (Method C) served as the reference method. Measurements were rounded to the nearest 0.5 mm for consistency. Data were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis test, Wilcoxon rank‐sum tests, Spearman's rank correlation, percentage of agreement and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).Results: No significant differences were observed between Method A and Method B in measuring femoral cartilage thickness. Agreement with Method C was 100% for Method B and 85% for Method A. In the 15% of discordant cases, Method A overestimated the measurements by one category of 0.5 mm compared to Method C. Correlation coefficients between the methods were high (ρ = 0.88−1.0). Intra‐ and interobserver reliability was high for all methods (ICCs 0.91–0.95).Discussion: Both intraoperative methods are reliable and comparable to the photographic method when rounded to the closest 0.5 mm, with no significant differences among them. The electrocautery method has the added advantage of measuring cartilage thickness before bone cuts are performed.Level of Evidence: Level IV.

Background/Objectives: In the elderly population, thoracic kyphosis often progresses with age, leading to secondary postural adaptations including scapular protraction, internal rotation, and anterior tilt. These alterations can potentially compromise shoulder biomechanics, particularly in patients undergoing reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between thoracic sagittal alignment, quantified by the Cobb angle, and scapular internal rotation (SIR) assessed on CT scans in patients scheduled for RSA. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 164 patients who underwent RSA between 2016 and 2024 at a single tertiary referral center. Sagittal thoracic kyphosis was assessed using the Cobb angle measured on preoperative chest radiographs. SIR and anterior scapular tilt were evaluated using preoperative CT scans. Patients were divided into three groups according to the Cobb angle: Group A (≤36°), Group B (>36–46°), and Group C (≥47°). Statistical analysis was performed using the Spearman correlation coefficient and Kruskal–Wallis test, with a significance threshold set at p < 0.05. Results: Analysis demonstrated a weak but statistically significant positive correlation between age and SIR, as well as between thoracic kyphosis (Cobb angle) and SIR. Patients in Group C (Cobb angle ≥ 47°) showed higher mean SIR values (43.7°) compared to Group A (40.3°), with statistical significance achieved (p = 0.047). These findings suggest that greater thoracic kyphosis is associated with increased scapular internal rotation. No significant correlation was identified between anterior scapular tilt and thoracic kyphosis. Conclusions: This study reveals a correlation between increased thoracic kyphosis and greater scapular internal rotation in patients undergoing RSA. These postural and biomechanical alterations may have critical implications for surgical planning and postoperative outcomes. Preoperative assessment of sagittal spinal alignment, particularly thoracic kyphosis, should be integrated into the planning process for RSA to optimize implant positioning and improve functional results.