Managing shoulder pain in general practice

After low back pain and neck pain, shoulder pain is the third musculoskeletal reason for presentation to general practice, with a self reported prevalence of 16–26%. Approximately 1% of the adult population is expected to visit a general practitioner annually for shoulder pain.1,2 Shoulder complaints are more common in women and despite the fact that 50% of acute shoulder pain resolves in 8–10 weeks, many patients present with the anticipation of being referred for imaging. �