The point prevalence of shoulder symptoms has been reported to range from 20-33% and the incidence of shoulder complaints in the general population is increasing. Furthermore, several authors have reported low rates of perceived recovery (patient reports of "being cured") for patients with a new episode of shoulder or neck pain.3-6 According to Bot et al, less than 25% of patients with a first episode of shoulder pain reported recovery after 3 months, and only 32% stated they had recovered (no longer had symptoms) after 1 year. Other studies have investigated the prognosis of shoulder pain in general practice. Croft et al reported recovery rates of only 21% after 6 months and 49% after 18 months. Van der Windt et al and Winters et al reported recovery rates of 51% and 59% after 12 to 18 months, respectively. Finally, Rekola et al reported that 25% of patients with shoulder or neck pain experienced at least one episode of recurrence within 12 months. These findings suggest that shoulder pain can be recurrent and frequently progresses to the chronic stage.