Glenohumeral Gurus #46:Hormones & the Shoulder:What Every Clinician Needs to Know with Dr Nicky Keay

Hormones influence every tissue in the body—but how much do they really matter when it comes to shoulder rehabilitation? In this episode of the Glenohumeral Gurus Podcast, I sit down with Dr Nicky Keay, sports and dance endocrinologist, to explore the fascinating relationship between hormones, female physiology and shoulder health. Using the journey of a female athlete across her lifespan, we discuss how hormonal changes influence collagen, tendon health, joint laxity, muscle function and injury risk—and what this means for clinicians treating shoulder conditions. Whether you're working with adolescent athletes, pregnant women, perimenopausal patients or older adults, this episode provides practical insights into how endocrine health may influence rehabilitation and clinical decision-making. 🦴 Key topics discussed ✅ Why hormones affect every musculoskeletal tissue—including the shoulder ✅ How oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone influence collagen and tendon health ✅ Hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle and their clinical relevance ✅ Pregnancy, joint laxity and shoulder stability ✅ Perimenopause and menopause: what changes occur in tendon, muscle and bone? ✅ Frozen shoulder and its relationship with metabolic and hormonal health ✅ Rotator cuff pathology and the emerging role of hormones in tendon adaptation ✅ RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) and the consequences of low energy availability ✅ Practical clinical considerations when assessing female athletes and active women 🎯 Clinical Takeaways • Hormones regulate tissue adaptation, collagen turnover and musculoskeletal health throughout life. • Shoulder conditions should be considered within the wider context of endocrine and metabolic health—not simply as isolated mechanical problems. • Hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy and menopause may influence shoulder stability, tendon capacity and rehabilitation progression. • Screening for menstrual health, energy availability and endocrine risk factors may provide valuable clinical information in female patients. • Understanding the biological context of your patient allows for more individualised rehabilitation and better-informed conversations. This episode provides an accessible introduction to a rapidly evolving area of sports medicine and shoulder rehabilitation, highlighting why clinicians should consider the whole person—not just the shoulder—when assessing and treating musculoskeletal conditions. 🎧 Whether you treat shoulder instability, rotator cuff pathology, frozen shoulder or overhead athletes, this conversation will challenge you to think more broadly about the role of hormones in clinical practice. Follow Nicky Keay here: Website address (with details appointments etc) ⁠https://nickykeayfitness.com/appointm... for PEAQ ⁠https://mypeaq.streamlit.app/⁠Link for book ⁠https://hhhp.neocities.org⁠ ⁠  / ⁠   ⁠www.nickykeayfitness.com⁠ ⁠https://hhhp.neocities.org⁠ Follow Margie Olds on Social Media: Facebook ⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠   Instagram ⁠⁠⁠  / margieolds   ⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn ⁠⁠⁠  / ⁠⁠⁠   Twitter X ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/margie_olds⁠⁠⁠ Website ⁠⁠⁠www.margieolds.com⁠⁠⁠