Margit Kooijman

Current care | 31 TABLE 3. Complaints and treatment characteristics in physiotherapy practice Physiotherapy practice (PT) GP -> PT (n = 895) Only PT (n = 148) * Significant difference between ‘only PT patients’ and ‘GP => PT patients’. ** Registration since 2009. Discussion The present study sought to determine the characteristics of the patient population and the types of treatment for patients with shoulder syndromes in both general practice and in physiotherapy practice and secondly, whether there are differences between patients who are treated by their GP, those who are referred for physiotherapy and those who access physiotherapy directly. The results show that there are differences between these populations both in terms of the characteristics of the patient and the treatment they receive. Eight out of ten patients with shoulder syndromes that visit a GP are treated solely by the GP and not referred to another clinician. In these patients, treatment was aimed at reducing pain and inflammation. The number of patients referred for physiotherapy in the present study was comparable to that of Kuijpers et al. 19 . Most patients who received a referral for physiotherapy were referred early on and were Recurrent complaint (% yes) * 22 31 Duration of complaints (%) < 1 month 30 33 1 -3 months 34 36 > 3 months 36 31 Previous physiotherapy (% yes) 44 47 Pain severity (NRS 0 – 10) (mean ± SD) (n = 210/57) ** 7 (1.7) 7 (1.1) Onset (%) (n = 238/62) ** Gradual 76 71 Sudden 24 29 Cause (%) (n = 158/44) ** Sport 13 41 Work 33 27 Leisure activities 13 18 Other 41 14 Treatment sessions (mean ± SD) 15 (18) 15 (19) Duration of treatment (mean ± SD, in weeks) 13 (15) 12 (15) Treatment goals (%) * Mobility 47 33 Muscle function 11 20 Pain 11 13 Other 31 34 Interventions (% used in ≥ 50% of the treatment sessions) Mobilisation 45 39 Massage 39 45 Physical agent modalities 12 13 Exercise therapy – functions * 70 55 Exercise therapy - skills 24 32 Information & advice 33 33 Treatment goals fully reached (%) 63 69