• Celinde H Karels, Wendy Polling, Sita M A Bierma-Zeinstra, Alex Burdorf, Arianne P Verhagen, and Bart W Koes.
• Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. c.karels@erasmusmc.nl
• Spine. 2006 Aug 1; 31 (17): E584-9.

Study DesignThis is a prospective cohort study with a follow-up period of 6 months.ObjectiveTo describe the interventions applied by physical therapists in treating patients with complaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder.Summary Of Background DataComplaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder occur frequently and are usually treated within primary care. Many patients with these complaints are treated with physical therapy.MethodsDuring a 1-year period, the participating physiotherapists included new consulters with musculoskeletal complaints of the upper extremity. The patients completed a questionnaire at baseline, and the physical therapists completed a treatment record for up to 6 months.ResultsOf the 624 patients included in the cohort, physical therapists provided treatment data of 619 patients. The main treatment consisted of exercise therapy (93%) and massage (87%), or a combination of both. More patients with specific complaints received physical methods, and patients with nonspecific complaints were treated with manipulation techniques.ConclusionsThe primary treatment of complaints the of arm, neck, and/or shoulder in physiotherapy practice consists of exercise therapy and massage therapy, mostly being a combination of both. Future studies should focus on the effectiveness of exercise therapies, combined or not combined with massage, for patients with complaints of the arm, neck, and/or shoulder.

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