New Research Study on Shoulder Pain: Recruits Needed!

Wednesday, 4 May 2016

New Physiotherapy Masters student, Donald Hunter, is currently conducting a study on the link between shoulder pain and posture.  Recruits are needed between the ages for 40 and 80 years old to participate. Shoulder pain prevalence increases consistently with age, making it the third most common musculoskeletal cause for people to visit their GPs (behind neck and back pain).

Donald Hunter, at the University of Newcastle, is recruiting for a new trial investigating a condition called ‘shoulder impingement syndrome’ that is found among swimmers, throwing athletes and those who perform overhead work.

Shoulder pain prevalence increases consistently with age, making it the third most common musculoskeletal cause for people to visit their GPs (behind neck and back pain). Half will still have consistent pain and impediment at 12 months.

“As you get older the spine gets a little more rounded and stiffer, creating a narrowing of space under a shoulder bone called the acromion,” Associate Professor Suzanne Snodgrass, a physiotherapy researcher, said. “This causes discomfort and makes it harder for people to lift their arm over their head.

Physiotherapists are experts in maintaining people’s ability to move and function, and they often look to treat the spine as well as the shoulder itself. Unfortunately we don’t have good evidence to show this is appropriate.”

The research team we will be doing spinal x-rays in people with shoulder pain and comparing them to healthy controls to see if the spinal posture does relate to this shoulder pain.

Do you get SHOULDER PAIN?

Interested in being part of a University study looking at a link between shoulder impingement and posture?

You must be between 40-80 years old and not have any conditions that would normally prohibit an active assessment of your shoulder or spine. We are recruiting people with shoulder pain (experiencing at least one episode of shoulder pain per week over the last 3 months).

This University of Newcastle based project will require you to attend the School of Health Sciences Research Laboratories in the Hunter Building on one occasion to have a posture assessment, ultrasound examination, and X-ray.

Please download the flyer if you would like to participate:

Shoulder Pain Research Flyer (PDF, 146KB)

Read more about the trial here:

Physiotherapy Pain Trial Going Shoulder to Shoulder

For more information about the study please contact Research Higher Degree Candidate:

Donald Hunter on 0431746956 or Donald.Hunter@uon.edu.au

or Project Supervisor:

Associate Professor Suzanne Snodgrass on 0249212089 or Suzanne.Snodgrass@newcastle.edu.au

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