Table 1 Baseline characteristics of patients with shoulder pain or low‐back pain, also presented separately for patients with shoulder pain and a symptom duration <13 weeks at baseline.
| SP (n = 587, all) | SP (n = 344) duration <13 weeks | LBP (n = 171, all) duration <13 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic and work variables | |||
| Age (years), mean (SD) | 51.5 (14.0) | 50.5 (14.4) | 42.0 (12.0) |
| Sex, n (% female) | 295 (50.3) | 167 (48.5) | 81 (47.4) |
| Educational level, n (%) | |||
| Low | 210 (36.3) | 111 (32.6) | 56 (33.1) |
| Middle | 234 (40.4) | 141 (41.5) | 72 (42.6) |
| High | 135 (23.3) | 88 (25.9) | 41 (24.3) |
| Paid work, n (%) | 350 (59.6) | 216 (62.8) | 144 (84.2) |
| Repetitive movements (⩾2 days/week), n (%) | 384 (65.4) | 213 (61.9) | – |
| Disease characteristics | |||
| Duration of current episode, n (%) | |||
| 0–2 weeks | 83 (14.2) | 83 (24.1) | 105 (61.4) |
| 3–6 weeks | 122 (20.8) | 122 (35.5) | 49 (28.7) |
| 6–13 weeks | 139 (23.7) | 139 (40.4) | 17 (9.9) |
| ⩾13 weeks | 242 (41.3) | – | – |
| Gradual onset, n (%) | 362 (61.7) | 174 (50.6) | – |
| Previous episodes, n (%) | 348 (59.3) | 184 (53.5) | 138 (81.2) |
| Pain radiating below the knee, n (%) | – | – | 25 (14.6) |
| Musculoskeletal pain elsewhere, n (%) | 417 (71.0) | 232 (67.4) | 62 (36.3) |
| Pain intensity, mean (SD) | 4.8 (2.3) | 4.5 (2.4) | 4.8 (1.9) |
| Disability (SDQ or RMDQ, 0–100) mean (SD) | 59.9 (24.2) | 57.7 (26.3) | 50.8 (20.7) |
| Psychological factors | |||
| Catastrophising (PCCL or CSQ, 0–100) median (IQR) | 21.7 (12.5–35.0) | 21.7 (11.7–33.5) | 30.6 (16.7–41.7) |
| Distress (4DSQ, 0–100), median (IQR) | 0 (0–6.3) | 0 (0–6.3) | 25.0 (11.7–43.8) |
| Somatisation (4DSQ, 0–100), median (IQR) | 6.3 (0–15.6) | 6.3 (0–12.5) | 25.0 (15.6–34.4) |
| Fear‐avoidance beliefs (FABQ, 0–100), median (IQR) | 58.3 (45.8–75.0) | 58.3 (47.9–75.0) | 62.5 (50.0–79.2) |
CSQ, Coping Strategies Questionnaire for patients with low‐back pain;19 4DSQ, Four‐Dimensional Symptoms Questionnaire;21 FABQ, Fear‐Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire;20 IQR, interquartile range; PCCL, Pain Coping and Cognitions List for patients with shoulder pain;18 RMDQ, Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire;24 SDQ, Shoulder Disability Questionnaire; SP, shoulder pain.23