Factors predicting a worse outcome at 6 weeks and 6 months (in three or all of the four models for each outcome and time point)
| At 6 weeks and 6 months | At 6 weeks only | At 6 months only | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPADI and QuickDASH | Higher baseline pain and disability measured by corresponding outcome measure. Patient expectation of ‘slight improvement’ rather than ‘complete recovery’ as ‘a result of physiotherapy treatment’. Lower pain self-efficacy. Not being in employment due to redundancy, unemployment or disability compared with being in employment or education (exception: SPADI at 6 weeks). Higher pain severity at rest. | Previous compared to no previous major operation (shoulder surgery excluded). The presence, compared to the absence, of pain in the opposite upper quadrant. | One and in particular two or more additional health problems compared to none. Patient expectation of ‘much improvement’ rather than ‘complete recovery’ as ‘a result of physiotherapy treatment’. Longer duration of shoulder symptoms. No change compared to change in shoulder pain/range during manual facilitation of the scapula around the chest wall during arm elevation. |
| SPADI only | Patient expectation of ‘no change’ rather than ‘complete recovery’ as ‘a result of physiotherapy treatment’. Reduced range of active shoulder abduction. | Most strenuous weekly exercise classified as ‘none’ compared to ‘moderate’. Increasing difference between the range of active and passive shoulder abduction. | |
| QuickDASH only | Being female rather than male. | Both shoulders affected or patient stated ‘ambidextrous’ in comparison to only non-dominant shoulder affected. |
SPADI, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index; QuickDASH, Quick Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire.