Objective: To identify the most common problems in patients with shoulder pain, using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a reference.
Design: A cross-sectional study.
Subjects: Outpatients at a hospital with shoulder pain lasting longer than 3 months.
Methods: Patients were interviewed with an extended version of the ICF Checklist version 2.1a. Patients' problems in functioning, and the magnitude of the problem, were registered separately for each category. Categories identified as a problem in at least 5% of patients were reported. To describe the population, age, diagnosis, work participation and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) were recorded.
Results: A total of 165 patients with a mean age of 46.5 years (standard deviation 12.5) and a SPADI score of 47.4 (standard deviation 21.1) were included. Of the participants, 92.8% were either employed or students, 35.2% of whom were on sick leave. The primary result was the identification of 61 condition-specific second-level ICF categories: 19 in the body functions and structures component, 34 in activities and participation, and 8 in environmental factors.
Conclusion: The findings provide a comprehensive picture from the patient-perspective of the disability associated with shoulder pain. The findings may enhance multidisciplinary communication in clinical settings.