PhD defence A.H.C. (Annelotte) Versloot

Below is a brief summary of the dissertation:

Shoulder pain is often seen in the general practice and can persist for a long time: more than half of patients still experience symptoms after six months. According to current guidelines, general practitioners are advised to first provide advice about the shoulder pain, possibly supplemented with pain medication. If this is not sufficient, treatment with a corticosteroid injection or exercise therapy with a physiotherapist can be chosen. However, it remains unclear which treatment works best.
This thesis examined, among other things, the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these two treatments. The results showed that an injection mainly provides rapid pain relief in the short term (around six weeks). Exercise therapy, however, leads to better and more sustained results in the longer term (6 to 12 months). Although exercise therapy is on average slightly more expensive, it also results in a higher quality of life and is therefore cost-effective compared with an injection.
In addition, the study shows that patients have different preferences when it comes to treatment, with three distinct groups identified. In general, patients tend to be cautious about starting treatment. There is also a small group that strongly prefers to avoid injections. These preferences are often related to previous experiences.
Finally, the study examined work-related factors. Physical strain (such as repetitive movements and working above shoulder height) and psychosocial factors (such as high workload and low support) appear to play a role in the development of shoulder pain. This highlights the importance of a well-designed workplace and attention to these factors at work.