The measurement of normative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores.

We determined baseline scores on the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) questionnaire in individuals who had no known shoulder condition and evaluated related factors that could influence the score. A modified version of the questionnaire was completed by 343 patients from an outpatient orthopaedic center being seen for conditions unrelated to the shoulder. A separate group completed the questionnaire at two different times to assess its reliability. The mean ASES score was 92.2 +/- 14.5 points. The instrument was found to be very reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.96). Only the variables of shoulder status and sports participation entered the regression model to explain the variance in scores. Subjects aged 60 years or older exhibited decreased ability to lift above shoulder level and reach behind the back when compared with younger cohorts. Previous investigators have made the assumption that a normal preinjury ASES score is 100 points. This study raises questions about this assumption. This information can serve as a basis to compare normative scores with those of patients with active shoulder disease.