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Table 4 Load strategies for specific and non-specific shoulder pain

From: Towards an integrated clinical framework for patient with shoulder pain

Load strategies

Specific shoulder pain

Non-specific shoulder pain

Responsive

(NP or CS)

Non responsive

NP

Non responsive

CS

Aim: Increase movement/strength and flexibility.

What to do: symptoms-contingent strategies; stretch, proprioceptive and active exercises progressively changing the position of execution and increasing number of repetition and the resistance according with patient’s pain.

Aim: reduce pain, fear, increase movement/strength.

What to do: symptoms-contingent strategies; commute positive procedures in exercises plus load the dysfunctional pattern of patient’s movement increasing and modulating number of repetition and resistance according with patient’s pain.

Aim: reduce pain, increase movement/strength.

What to do: symptoms-contingent strategies; stretch and active exercises progressively changing the position of execution and increasing number of repetition and the resistance according with patient’s pain.

Aim: reduce pain, fear, increase movement/strength.

What to do:

time-contingent strategies; graded exposure/activity starting from the identification of painful tolerated exercise in terms of number of repetitions and pain granted during the execution.