Protocol for determining the diagnostic validity of physical examination maneuvers for shoulder pathology

BackgroundShoulder complaints are the third most common musculoskeletal problem in the general population. There are an abundance of physical examination maneuvers for diagnosing shoulder pathology. The validity of these maneuvers has not been adequately addressed. We propose a large Phase III study to investigate the accuracy of these tests in an orthopaedic setting.MethodsWe will recruit consecutive new shoulder patients who are referred to …