(BioMed Central, 2017) Setuain Chourraut, Igor; González Izal, Miriam; Paularena, Ainara; Luque, José Luis; Andersen, Lars L.; Izquierdo Redín, Mikel; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak
Background: Work-related injuries of the shoulder complex represent a challenge for clinicians because of the
large variety of clinical entities involved and the broad anatomic structures that can be affected. Furthermore,
commonly performed orthopedic tests have demonstrated limited accuracy for diagnosing the injury despite
considerable research efforts. The aim of this study protocol is therefore to describe a comprehensive approach
integrating both a clinical- and functional status-based pathology and an adapted rehabilitation prescription.
Methods/Design: A longitudinal cohort study will be performed at the Department of Rehabilitation and Medical
Assistance of a mutual insurance society for work-related injury management in Spain (Mutua Navarra, Pamplona,
Navarra Spain). Patients will be attended by an occupational physician who specializes in work-related injuries and
is part of the project team that will systematically visit all the participants. After the medical diagnosis and any
requested supplementary evaluations (i.e., radiological examinations), the patients will be referred to the
rehabilitation service. Before the physiotherapeutic rehabilitation program is initiated, the patients will undergo a
comprehensive functional screening at the biomechanics laboratory. Using a decision-making scheme, the
identified functional deficits will be used to customize the individual rehabilitation plan.
Discussion: The proposed objective criteria-based shoulder diagnosis and rehabilitation model could be a new
effective strategy for minimizing the time required to regain functional capacity and recover from symptoms
among patients with work-related shoulder injuries.
