Tactile Acuity, Right-left Discrimination, and Motor Imagery in Chronic Rotator Cuff-related Shoulder Pain

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-65 years * Participants were classified with chronic Chronic Rotator Cuff-related Shoulder Pain if duration was equal or greater than 6 months, as recommended by the International Association for the Study of Pain for research purposes * Pain at rest maximum 2 out of 10 on verbal numerical rating scale * Pain over the deltoid and/or upper arm region for more than 4 weeks, pain associated with arm movement, and familiar pain reproduced with loading or resisted testing during abduction or external rotation of the arm * Patient had to test positive at least 3 out of 5 symptoms-provoking tests: pain during Neer test, Hawkins-Kennedy test, Jobe test, painful arc between 60° and 120°, pain or weakness during external rotation resistance test Exclusion Criteria: * Bilateral shoulder pain * Corticosteroid injections less than 6 weeks prior to the enrolment * Participants who were pregnant, Mini Mental State Examination score \>24 * Clinical signs of full-thickness rotator cuff tears (positive external and internal rotation lag tests or drop arm test) * Evidence of adhesive capsulitis (50% or more than 30° loss of passive external rotation) * Previous cervical, thoracic or shoulder surgery; recent fractures or dislocations on the painful shoulder * Symptoms of cervical radiculopathy as primary complaint (tingling, radiating pain in the arm associated with neck complaints) * Primary diagnosis of acromioclavicular pathology, shoulder instability * Previous medical imaging confirming full-thickness rotator cuff tears or calcifications larger than 5mm * Patients with competing pathologies (inflammatory arthritis, neurological disorders, fibromyalgia, malignancy) * History of cancer, neurologic, systemic, rheumatic or vascular disorder and use of psychiatric medication * Participants performing overhead sport activities for more than 4hours/week