Publicatie

Publication date

Management of patients with shoulder pain in primary care: a pause for reflection = Begeleiding van patiënten met schouderpijn in de eerstelijns gezondheidszorg: een denkpauze.

Kooijman, M. Management of patients with shoulder pain in primary care: a pause for reflection = Begeleiding van patiënten met schouderpijn in de eerstelijns gezondheidszorg: een denkpauze. Utrecht: Nivel, 2021. 147 p. p. Proefschrift van de Universiteit Utrecht
Download the PDF
Background
Shoulder pain is one of the most common presentations of musculoskeletal pain. A definition of shoulder pain is not so easy though. Uniformity in diagnostic labelling is complex because of the weak correlation between structural factors and clinical presentation. Also, meta-analyses on the diagnostic value of physical examination tests contend that no single test is pathognomonic for any specific diagnosis.

Issue
Next to difficulties in making a diagnosis, in recent years, a vast number of meta-analyses have revealed that no robust evidence is available that any intervention leads to statistically significant or clinically relevant benefits over one another or placebo. When more research on diagnosis and interventions does not seem to add to better outcome, we need to decide wisely on the way forward. Therefore, in this thesis, we opt for a pause for reflection on the current management of shoulder pain in primary care.

Aim
The aim of this thesis is to explore some leads to improve care for patients with shoulder pain by physiotherapists and general practitioners. It addresses the question ‘where are we now?’, which we pose in three domains: process and content of care,
diagnosis and prognosis and contextual factors.