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Table 2 Characteristics of the reviewed studies. Bold font indicates high quality studies based on the SIGN review

From: Do psychological factors affect outcomes in musculoskeletal shoulder disorders? A systematic review

Author, year

Design

aSetting

Diagnosis

SS n

N (% Femaleb)

Age: mean

Intervention

Treatment duration

Follow-up

Drop-out: %

Outcome variables

Conservative treatment

Berk et al. 1977 [33]

RCT

Advertisement recruitment, USA

Shoulder pain due to tendonitis or bursitis

NR

42 (28%)

47

Group 1) Acupuncture - positive

milieu, Group 2) Acupuncture - negative milieu, Group 3) Placebo acupuncture - positive milieu,

Group 4) Placebo acupuncture - negative milieu

All groups 4 sessions

All groups 1 week after the end of treatment

NR

Subjective pain (VAS)

Chester et al, 2016, Chester et al 2019 [4, 34]

Prosp. Cohort

PT clinic England

Shoulder or arm pain aggravated by shoulder movement

1000

1030 (56%)

57

Non-specified PT treatment reflecting usual care

NR

6 weeks and 6 months after initiating PT treatment

25%

Pain and disability (SPADI, QuickDASH)

Ekeberg et al. 2010 [35]

RCT, secondary analysis

Outpatient PT and rehabilitation department, Norway

Patients with a clinical diagnosis

of rotator cuff disease included in the RCT

NR

104 (61%)

52

Group 1 systemic corticosteroid injection (gluteal region), group 2 ultrasound guided

corticosteroid injection.

1 injection

6 weeks

2%

Pain and disability (SPADI)

Global assessment score

Engebretsen et al. 2010 [36]

RCT, secondary analysis

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic, Norway

Chronic subacromial pain

NR

104 (50%)

48

Group 1) Supervised exercise, Group 2) Radial extracorporeal shockwave therapy

Group 1). twice a week for maximum of 12 weeks, Group 2) once a week for 4–6 weeks.

12 months

14%

Pain and disability (SPADI) and work status

Engebretsen et al. 2020 [37]

Prosp. Cohort

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic, Norway

Shoulder pain lasting for ≥6 weeks (2015–2016).

NR

167 (55%)

46

Usual care

Not specified

6 months

29%

Main symptoms, disability (SPADI), work status

Geraets et al. 2005 16 [38]

RCT

GP clinic and advertisement; Netherlands

Chronic shoulder complaints

132

176 (55%)

52.2

Group 1) Graded exercise; Group 2) Usual GP care

Group 1) Up to 18 sessions over 12 weeks. Group 2) PRN

12 weeks

Group 1) 9%; Group 2) 21%

Performance of daily activities (Patient report, and SDQ)

Karel et al, 2017 [39]

Prosp. Cohort

PT, Netherlands

New episode of shoulder pain

360

389

49.9

PT, not specified

NR

6.5 Months

30%

Global perceived effect scale,

Pain (NRS), Disability (SPADI)

Kennedy et al. 2006 [40]

Prosp. Cohort

PTs center, Canada

PTs included 5 clients undergoing treatment for soft tissue shoulder complaints

NR

361 (54%)

50

PT treatment

NR

12 weeks or end of treatment

NR

Disability (DASH): response patterns

Kromer et al. 2014 24 [41]

RCT, secondary analysis

PT clinic, Germany

Subacromial pain

90 (45 per group)

90 (51%)

51.8

Group 1) Exercise; Group 2) Exercise, manual therapy shoulder and cervical spine, and education

Both groups 10 treatments in 5 weeks followed by 7 weeks home exercise

3 months

2%

Pain and disability (SPADI)

Kuijpers et al. 2006 25 [42]

Prosp. Cohort

GP clinic, Netherlands

Acute shoulder pain

NR

587 (50%)

51

Usual care including medical management and physical therapy

Not defined

6 weeks and 6 months

8%

Patient perceived recovery

Kvalvaag et al. 2018 [43]

Double blind RCT

Department of

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Norway

Subacromial pain syndrome lasting at least three months

For RCT n = 143

143

47

Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (rESWT) + supervised exercises vs. sham rESWT + supervised exercises

Once per week for 4 weeks

12 months

9%

Pain and disability (SPADI), work status

Laslett et al. 2015 [44]

Prosp. Cohort

Primary care/ PT clinic, New Zealand

Acute shoulder pain

NR

161 (49%)

44

Clinical exam, shoulder x-ray, diagnostic anaesthetic injection in bursa + AC-joint or intra-articular glenohumeral joint, after 3 weeks usual PT care

NR

3 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months

38%

Pain and disability (SPADI)

O’Malley et al. 2004 [45]

Prosp. Cohort

Orthopedic clinic, USA

Shoulder pain

NR

199 (47%)

52

Various interventions

NR

3 months

39%

Function

(FLEX-SF)

Reilingh et al. 2008 [46]

Prosp. Cohort

GP, Netherlands

Shoulder pain

NR

587 (50%)

51

Various interventions

NR

6 months

8%

Pain (NRS)

Ryall et al. 2007 [47]

Prosp. Cohort

Primary care and PT clinics, U.K.

Shoulder pain

NR

222 (of 375 with arm pain)

NR

Various interventions

NR

12 months

17% (of total population)

Subjective pain report

Sindhu et al. 2012 [48]

Retro. analysis of prosp.collected data

Outpatient rehab clinics, various locations throughout the United States

Shoulder impairment

NR

3362 (54%)

54

Conservative care

NR

End of treatment

53%

Shoulder function (CAT)

Smedbråten et al.

2018 [49]

Registry study

Outpatient

Physiotherapy Norway, FysioPol database

Shoulder impairment

NR

145 (72%)

44

Exercises physiotherapy

5 weeks (IQR 3 to 6)

End of treatment

NA

Pain (NRS)

Function (PSFS)

Van der Windt et al. 2007 [50]

Prosp. Cohort

Primary care clinic, Netherlands

Acute shoulder pain

NR

344 (48%)

51

Usual care by GP (Group 1), including steroid injection if indicated (Group 2)

NR

3 Months

12%

Perceived recovery (VAS), Disability (SDQ)

Wolfensberger et al. 2016 [51]

Retro. Study

Rehabilitation clinic, Switzerland

Chronic nonspecific shoulder pain, on work disability

NR

287 (18%)

47

Interdisciplinary care

4–5 weeks, at least 2 to 3 h of daily (excl. weekend)

End of treatment

49%

Disability (DASH),

Pre-post change of pain (Patient Global Impression of Change)

Surgical treatment

Cho et al. 2015 [52]

Prosp. Cohort

Tertiary care institution, Korea

Rotator cuff tear

40

58 (57%)

57

Rotator cuff repair

NA

3, 6, 12 months post-surgery

19%

Pain (VAS), Shoulder Pain and function (UCLA, ASES)

Dambreville et al. 2007 [53]

Prosp. Cohort

Orthopedic surgical department, France

Patients undergoing surgery for shoulder complaints

NR

86 (36%)

48

Several procedures (ablation of calcification, rotator cuff repair, arthroplasty)

NA

1 month

NR

Pain (VAS))

Dekker et al. 2016 [54]

Retro. analysis of prospectively collected data

Orthopedic surgical department, UK.

Subacromial impingement

NR

61 (NR)

54

Arthroscopic subacromial decompression

NA

6 Months

28%

Pain (VAS) function and pain (OSS)

George et al. 2008 [55]

Prosp. Cohort

Orthopaedics Sports Medicine Institute, USA

Patients

scheduled for shoulder arthroscopy, nonspecific diagnosis

NR

58 (41%)

50

Shoulder arthroscopy

NA

3–5 months post-surgery

19%

Pain (BPI)

George et al. 2015, George et al. 2016, Simon et al. 2020 [56,57,58]

Prosp. Cohort

Orthopaedics Sports Medicine, USA

Patients

scheduled for shoulder arthroscopy,

nonspecific diagnosis

360

150 (34%)

43

Shoulder arthroscopy

NA

12 months

NR

George et al. 2015: Pain (BPI), George et al. 2016: Pain (BPI), Disability (Quick-DASH)

Henn et al. 2007 [59]

Retro. analysis of prospectively collected data

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, USA

Primary repair of a chronic rotator cuff tear

NR

12 (42%)

56

Three rotator cuff repair techniques: open repair, mini open repair, arthroscopic repair.

NA

12 months

NR

Pain (VAS)

Function (DASH, SST, Quality of life (SF-36)

Jain et al. 2018 [60]

Prosp. Cohort

Sports/Shoulder clinics in 3 academic and 1 community setting, USA

Symptomatic (≥4 weeks) rotator cuff tears scheduled for surgery

NR

50 (38%)

59

Surgery rotator cuff tear

NA

3, 6, 12, 18 months

 

Pain and disability (SPADI)

Koorevaar et al. 2016

Koorevaar et al. 2018 [61, 62]

Prosp. Cohort

Single center teaching hospital, Netherlands

Patients eligible for shoulder surgery

NR

315 patients (2016),142 (2018) (44%)

54

Surgery shoulder

NA

After treatment (2016) and 12 months (2018)

Postoperative 9%, 12 months 22%

Disability DASH; MCID

Anchor based (global rating for function and pain)

Lau et al. 2019 and Lau et al. 2020 [63, 64]

Retro. analysis of prosp.

collected data

Single surgical unite, single surgeon, USA

Surgery for

rotator cuff repair (01/2011–06/2017) and ≥ 1-year follow-up. Excluded were previous surgery, arthritis, fracture.

NR

187 (34%)

59

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in a chair position. All surgeries were performed by one surgeon.

NA

Mean 47.5 months

Complete case analysis

Disability (ASES), pain, quality of life (WORC)

Oh et al. 2012 [65]

Prosp. Cohort

Single center, all surgeries performed by the first author

Patients undergoing surgery for rotator cuff disorders, failed 3 months of conservative management

NR

128 (45%)

59

Arthroscopy-assisted mini open repair or arthroscopic repair

NR

≥12 months

NA

Simple Shoulder Test (SST), Constant-Murley, SF-36 physical function

Potter et al. 2015 [66]

Prosp. Cohort

 

Patients aged ≥18 years, scheduled for shoulder arthroscopy for shoulder pain secondary to a reparable

full-thickness rotator cuff tear.

NR

70 (26%)

61

Patients underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with

one of three surgeons (PEG, RTB, RZT) between October

2011 and December 2013

NA

12 months

NA

Pain (VAS), Simple Shoulder Test (SST), ASES

Ravindra et al 2018 [67]

Prosp

Cohort

Single orthopedic department,

USA

Patient scheduled for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair with confirmed (MRI) partial or full rotator cuff tear

NR

93

46%

56

Arthroscopic subacromial

decompression, acromioplasty, labral debridement, distal clavicle

excision, and biceps tenotomy or tenodesis as indicated

NA

Post-surgery

12 months

21.5%

VAS pain scores ASES

Thorpe et al. 2018 [68]

Prosp

Cohort

Surgery performed by 6 surgeons in 1 private & 2 public hospitals, Australia

Patients scheduled for shoulder surgery for partial or full rotator cuff tear

NR

124 (37%)

54

Surgery for rotator cuff repair with or without

subacromial decompression (n = 55) and arthroscopic subacromial decompression

only (n = 43)

NA

3, 12 months

10%

Pain and function sub- scores (ASES)

Valencia et al. 2014 [69]

Prosp. Cohort

Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Institute, USA

Patients

scheduled for shoulder arthroscopy nonspecific diagnosis

NR

78 (28%)

47

Shoulder arthroscopic surgery

NA

3 and 6 months

6%

Pain (BPI), shoulder disability (DASH)

Woollard et al. 2017 [70]

Prosp.

Cohort

University Clinic, Sports Medicine, USA

Patients scheduled for arthroscopic subacromial decompression

Yes, 50 pat. 80% power

62

(63%)

46

Arthroscopic subacromial decompression with /without supraspinatus

repair

NA

6 months after surgery

25%

Function: (WORC and DASH)

Global Rating of change

Yeoman et al. 2012 [71]

Prosp. Cohort

Department of Orthopaedics Surgery, Scotland

Patients

scheduled for shoulder arthroscopy

49

31 (67%)

55

Shoulder arthroscopic surgery

NA

6 weeks

0

Shoulder pain and function (OSS), Pain (VAS)

  1. a Setting: represents location of intervention; SS calc sample size calculation; b Female: percentage reported or author estimate; RCT randomized controlled trial, NR not reported, NA not applicable
  2. 4DSQ Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire, ASES the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons’ Scale, BPI Brief Pain Inventory, CBT cognitive behavioural therapy approach, DASH (and quickDASH) (Quick) Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire, EQ-5D EuroQol- 5 Dimension, FABQ Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ-P: physical activity subscale; FABQ-W, work subscale), FLEX-SF Flexilevel Scale of Shoulder Function, GE graded exercise, HADS Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HSCL-25 Hopkins Symptoms Checklist, MCID A minimal clinically important difference, MODEMS Musculoskeletal Outcomes Data Evaluation and Management System, NPRS Numeric Pain Rating Scale, NRS Numeric Rating Scale, OSS Oxford Shoulder Score, PCCL Pain Coping and Cognition List, PCS Pain Catastrophizing Scale, PSFS Patient Specific Functional Scale, PT physical therapy, RCT randomized controlled trial, SDQ Shoulder Disability Questionnaire, SF-36 Short Form Survey, SPADI Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, SST Simple Shoulder Test, TSK Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, UC usual care, UCLA Scale The University of California at Los Angeles Shoulder Score, VAS Visual Analog Scale, WORC Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index