Background Shoulder pain is common among patients with musculoskeletal pain and the prevalence of patients with subacromial pain syndrome (SAPS) is high. Despite the high prevalence, there is a lack of an extensive evaluation of the proprioception acuity in patients with SAPS. Knowledge of the proprioceptive deficit would assist clinicians in the proper treatment and may offer an alternative explanation for the mechanisms underlying SAPS, which are poorly understood. Objective To compare the proprioceptive function of the shoulder in patients with SAPS and matched controls. Study Design Matched case‐control study. Setting Physical Functional Rehabilitation Service of an outpatient clinic. Participants A total of 32 consecutive patients with SAPS who sought physical therapy for shoulder pain and 32 healthy participants (control group) matched for age, sex, and handedness. Interventions All participants completed a questionnaire containing sociodemographic information, pain intensity and characteristics, the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index. Main Outcome Measurements The proprioceptive assessment was performed through kinesthesia, passive joint position sense (PJPS), and the active joint position sense (AJPS). Results The groups showed no statistically significant differences in kinesthesia, PJPS, and AJPS for internal or external rotation. The proprioceptive acuity was not associated with pain intensity or functional disability in patients with SAPS. Conclusions Participants with SAPS did not present proprioceptive deficits in a pain‐free motion of medial and lateral rotation when compared to their matched controls. The proprioceptive deficit may not be involved with the mechanisms underlying SAPS and seems not to interfere with the clinical outcomes of patients with SAPS. Level of Evidence Level III.

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Cervical disorders and the shortening of the pectoralis minor are advocated to play an important role in patients with subacromial pain syndrome, despite the absence of evidence. This study aimed to compare the deep cervical flexor muscle function and the shortening of the pectoralis minor between patients with subacromial pain syndrome and controls. Secondarily, this study aimed to analyze the relationship of clinical tests with pain and disability among patients. This is a case-control study with 32 patients with subacromial pain syndrome [mean age: 33 ± 6.9 years; sex: 22 (65.6%) men; right dominance: 31 (96.9%)] and 32 controls matched for age, sex, handedness, and affected side. Participants filled the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index; and performed the clinical tests which were compared between patients and controls. Pectoralis minor length of the patient’s group (median = 9.0) was similar to the controls (median = 9.7) (U = 421.5; p = 0.22). The deep neck muscle function presented no statistical difference between patients and controls (?2 = 4.319; p = 0.504). There was no statistically significant correlation between clinical tests and patient self-reported measures. Therefore, deep cervical flexor muscle and the pectoralis minor muscle were not impaired in patients with subacromial pain syndrome and did not show a relationship with self-reported measures.