title: Is coracohumeral distance associated with pain-function, and shoulder range of movement, in chronic anterior shoulder pain?
abstract: The aim of this study was twofold: (i) to assess the intrarater reliability of coracohumeral distance; (ii) to investigate the level of association between coracohumeral distance measured by ultrasonography, and pain-disability and shoulder range of movement, in patients suffering from chronic anterior shoulder pain.
  
  
  
  An observational, cross sectional study was carried out. A convenience sample comprised of 87 patients with chronic anterior shoulder pain was assessed from 3 primary care centres. Main outcomes as pain and function were measured through the shoulder pain and disability index. Furthermore, shoulder range of movement-free of pain in shoulder elevation, as well as coracohumeral distance at both 0 and 60 degrees, were collected.
  
  
  
  Absence of any correlation was found between coracohumeral distance and shoulder pain and disability index at both 0 and 60 degrees of shoulder elevation. Furthermore, absence of any correlation was found between coracohumeral distance measurements and active shoulder range of movement -free of pain.
  
  
  
  There was poor association between coracohumeral distance and shoulder pain and function, as well as with shoulder range of movement, in patients with chronic anterior shoulder pain. Hence, clinicians should consider, not only increasing this space, but also other possibilities in their therapies, when patients with anterior shoulder pain are treated.
  
  
  
  ACTRN12614000144617 . Registered: 1stMarch 2014.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.|Departament of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Navarro-Ledesma
authors.affiliation: Departament of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Struyf
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Labajos-Manzanares
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almeria, Almeria, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernandez-Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain. aluques@uma.es.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luque-Suarez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059925:Anatomic Landmarks; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: Chronic pain; Diagnosis; Rehabilitation; Shoulder pain; Ultrasonography