Table 2. A comparison of nomenclature and criteria for the diagnosis of specific shoulder disorders.

Diagnostic classification and case definition	Van der Windt, 1995	HSE, 1998	Palmer / Walker-Bone, 2000	Jia et al, 2009	Hanchard, 2014
Rotator cuff disease: Case definitions and sub-classes:	Subacromial syndrome Sub-Classes: Rotator cuff tendinitis Chronic bursitis Rotator cuff tears	Rotator cuff tendinitis	Rotator cuff tendinitis	Sub-Classes: Tendinosis or bursitis (painful tendon – no tear) Partial-thickness tear Full-thickness tear Subscapularis tear	Sub-Classes: Sub-acromial or internal impingement Rotator cuff tendinopathy or tears
Clinical examination /tests:	No restriction of passive movement. Pain in the C5 dermatome. Pianful arc during elevation. At least one positive resistance test. Bursitis: variable/little pain, normal power Tendinitis: pain, normal power Cuff tears: little pain, loss of power	History of pain in the deltoid region and pain on resisted active movement (abduction – supraspinatus; external rotation – infraspinatus; internal rotation- subscapularis)	History of pain in the deltoid region and pain on resisted active movement (abduction – supraspinatus; external rotation – infraspinatus; internal rotation- subscapularis)	Neer impingement sign Hawkins-Kennedy impingement sign Neither has high sensitivity nor specificity for full-thickness tears	Many tests but insufficient evidence of usefulness to recommend any
Acromio- clavicular joint syndrome	N/A	N/A	Acromio-clavicular dysfunction	No Sub-Classes	N/A
Clinical examination /tests:	Restriction of horizontal adduction. Pain in the area of the acromioclavicular joint and/or C4 dermatome		Pain and tenderness over the acromio-clavicular joint and pain on horizontal adduction of the extended arm (cross-body adduction test)	Local tenderness ACJ Cross-body adduction test Acromio-clavicular resisted extension test Active compression test may perform better – no data
Labral conditions	N/A	N/A	N/A	Sub-Classes: Anterior and posterior of the superior labrum	Glenoid labral tears
Clinical examination /tests:				Not possible to diagnose on clinical examination alone	Many tests but insufficient evidence of usefulness to recommend any
Instability	Remainder (including luxations)	N/A	N/A	Sub-Classes: Anterior Posterior Multidirectional	N/A
Clinical examination /tests:				ANTERIOR: Reproduction of a symptom of instability: anterior apprehension test, relocation test, surprise test >95% specific but low sensitivity POSTERIOR: ‘Voluntary’ subluxation with reproduction of symptoms MULTIDIRECTIONAL: Sulcus sign for inferior instability not formally evaluated
Biceps tendinopathy	N/A	Bicipital tendinitis	Bicipital tendinitis	Sub-Classes: Biceps tenosynovitis Partial tears Tendon subluxations Biceps entrapment Isolated abnormality of biceps tendon relatively rare	Long head of biceps tendinopathy
Clinical examination /tests:		History of anterior shoulder pain and pain on resisted active flexion (Speed test) or supination (Yergason test) of the forearm	History of anterior shoulder pain and pain on resisted active flexion (Speed test) or supination (Yergason test) of the forearm	Speed test Yergason test Neither clinically diagnostic	Many tests but insufficient evidence of usefulness to recommend any
Capsular syndrome	Sub-Classes: Capsulitis Arthrosis
Clinical examination /tests:	Restriction of lateral rotation, abduction and medial rotation, pain in C5 dermatome	History of pain in the deltoid region and equal restriction of active and passive glenohumeral movement with capsular pattern (external rotation>abduction>internal rotation)	History of pain in the deltoid region and equal restriction of active and passive glenohumeral movement with capsular pattern (external rotation>abduction>internal rotation)
Acute bursitis
Clinical examination /tests:	Restriction of abduction. Severe pain in C5 dermatome. Acute onset, no preceding trauma