title: The presentation and outcomes of shoulder pain in public hospital physiotherapy departments in NSW: an observational study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the type of shoulder conditions presenting to public physiotherapy departments and the outcomes of such presentations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic, diagnostic, and outcome data were collected from people with shoulder pain presenting to 10 public outpatient physiotherapy services in NSW, Australia, from 1 April 2007 to 30 September 2007. Pearson's correlation and paired T tests were used to determine relationships and significance of changes in the defined outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred fifty-three people were included in this study. The most common presentations based on physiotherapist's diagnoses were rotator cuff tear, impingement, and postfracture rehabilitation. Significant improvements (p < 0.05) were demonstrated in outcome measures across all diagnostic groups, with average improvements: self-reported visual analogue scale (39.2 mm (±25.3)); flexion range (38.2° (±33.6)); hand behind back range (8.0 cm (±9.2 cm)); and global perceived effect (3.4 (±1.3)). These improvements occurred during an average of 6.7 treatment sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physiotherapy in NSW Public Health settings manages a wide variety of shoulder conditions with benefits observed across all patient presentations and diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: Concord Repatriation General Hospital , Concord, NSW , Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Impingement; physiotherapy; rotator cuff tear; shoulder fractures; shoulder pain; shoulder surgery