Table 2 Candidate factors – definition and measurement
No | Predictor variable | Measure / measurement system |
|---|---|---|
1 | Age | Age at initial presentation (years) |
2 | Sex | Sex (female, male) |
3 | Physical demands | ”Before you had your current shoulder problem, did a typical week include one or more of the following activities (yes, no): ▪ Repetitive or prolonged use of the affected arm for strength effort (e.g. lifting, carrying or moving heavy loads, athletic sports, strength-demanding skilled manual work) ▪ Repetitive or prolonged use of the arm above shoulder height (e.g. overhead work, overhead sports, throwing sports, work as a hairdresser)?” |
4 | Disability | Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) [39]; validated German version [40] (score) |
5 | Pain | “What is the worst amount of pain that you have experienced within the past week?” (100 mm visual analogue scale VAS) |
6 | History of shoulder pain (incl. Previous treatment) | “Prior to the current episode, have you ever seen a medical doctor or therapist for pain in this shoulder?” (yes, no) |
7 | Symptom duration | “For how long have you been having your current shoulder complaints?” (weeks) |
8 | Diabetes | “Do you have diabetes?” (yes, no) |
9 | Smoking | “Are you a smoker? Please tick “yes” if you regularly smoke at least once a week any amount of tobacco” (yes, no) |
10 | Pain catastrophizing | Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) [56]; validated German version [57] (score) |