title: Oxford shoulder score in a normal population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The function of the asymptomatic normal shoulder may differ according to gender and could also deteriorate with age. This may result in a disparity in the normal Oxford shoulder score (OSS) according to these variables. If a difference were to exist an adjusted OSS, for age and gender, could be calculated from the raw score using the expected normal score.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to define a normal OSS in an asymptomatic population according to age and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the study period 202 patients aged from 20 years to 99 years with subjectively asymptomatic shoulders completed an OSS. These patients presented to the study center during a 1 week period for management of disorders out with their shoulder girdle. Patients with a known prior shoulder pathology, injury, or polyarthropathy were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean OSS varied according age and gender. There was a significant correlation between age and the OSS, with an increasing score (worse) being associated with older age (r = 0.62, P < 0.0001). The mean OSS for females was 18.8 (12-42, SD 5.4) and for males was 16.3 (12-30, SD 4.5), this difference was significant (P = 0.0001). We propose that a normalized OSS could be calculated as a percentage by the using the expected normal for that patient's age and gender as demonstrated in this study ((raw score/normal score) × 100).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study provides normal data for an urban population presenting to orthopedic services and allows for a relative OSS to be calculated from the raw score.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Little France, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas David
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Clement
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Little France, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Court-Brown
keywords: Normal; Oxford; outcome; score; shoulder