A prospective cohort study involving 132 consecutive participants. Preoperatively, participants undergoing
arthroscopic subacromial decompression and/or excision of the distal clavicle and/or rotator cuff repair will complete
questionnaires about their levels of shoulder pain using a numerical rating scale from 0 to 10, and answer a Patient
Health Questionnaire – 9 depression questionnaire. Postoperatively, the participants’ pain levels will be self-assessed at
two, five and seven days and weeks four, seven and ten. They will complete the depression questionnaire twice, at the
time of their routine first and final postoperative appointments with the treating surgeon. At the final appointment,
approximately three months postoperatively, the treating surgeon will clinically diagnose participants as having a
postoperative stiff shoulder or not. Their shoulders’ range of motion will be measured. The incidence of postoperative
stiff shoulder will be determined, both pain and depression will be analysed as predictors for its development and
incidences determined by different objective criteria will be compared.