Shoulder Pain in Primary Care Physiotherapy

Current physiotherapy management in patients with shoulder pain is unknown. Additionally, little is known about the effect of diagnostic imaging procedures, especially diagnostic ultrasound, as a relatively new imaging procedure in primary care physiotherapy. The current evidence statement do not makes a recommendation on the use of diagnostic ultrasound.
Due to the lack of reproducibility of traditional diagnostic labels, subgroups based on prognostic factors could help facilitate more appropriate treatment plans. Several prognostic factors have been described and it is believed that diagnostic ultrasound and working alliance might also be potential prognostic factors for recovery. Therefore, the main objectives of this thesis are
(1) to describe current management in relation to diagnostic work-up (including the use of diagnostic ultrasound) and treatment strategies of physiotherapy care for patients with shoulder pain
(2) to identify prognostic factors and develop a prognostic model (including the use of diagnostic ultrasound and working alliance) of recovery for patients with shoulder pain.