Shoulder pain is a common complaint,
with the prevalence
ranging from 20% to 33% in the
adult population.1–4 It has been
reported that shoulder pain is the
third most frequent musculoskeletal
complaint, after back and knee pain,
in the general community.4 In 2007,
the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported that injuries to the shoulder
in the workforce required the most
number of days off work, with a
median of 18 days to recuperate.
With the exception of the knee and
wrist, the shoulder took at least
twice the median time to recover
compared with all other body parts.5
Nocturnal disturbance, the inability
to sleep on the affected side, functional
disability, and a reduction in
the overall quality of life are common
complaints resulting from
shoulder pain.6–8