title: The range of the Oxford Shoulder Score in the asymptomatic population: a marker for post-operative improvement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) is a validated scoring system used to assess the degree of pain and disability caused by shoulder pathology. To date there is no knowledge of the range of the OSS in the healthy adult population. This study aimed to establish the range in  asymptomatic individuals.
  
  
  METHODS
  The OSS of 100 asymptomatic volunteers was compared with the pre-operative OSS of 100 symptomatic individuals who had had elective shoulder surgery performed at the Royal Preston hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The difference in mean scores in the operated group  (36.7) and the asymptomatic group (15.3) was statistically significant (p<0.0001). There was, however, a substantial overlap between the scores of the two groups (operated group range: 19-55, asymptomatic group range: 12-47). Factors such as age, sex, body mass index,  co-morbidities and smoking did not have a statistically significant impact on the eventual score in the asymptomatic group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has established the range of OSS in the asymptomatic adult population. Symptom scores can only be used effectively when the range in the asymptomatic  population is known. This is so that disease severity can be gauged in the context of the normal population and post-operative improvements can be forecast more accurately.
authors: Royal Preston Hospital, UK.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Younis
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Sultan
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Dix
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012782:Shoulder / Q000601:surgery*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome