High recovery expectations of patients with musculoskeletal pain have already been associated with lower levels of anxiety and pain-related disability. This fact demonstrates that what individuals expect from treatment can influence the course of rehabilitation. However, there are still no studies with patients with chronic shoulder pain that explore expectations regarding physiotherapy offered within the Brazilian public sector.

Understanding what patients with chronic shoulder pain expect from physiotherapy offered by the Brazilian public sector.

30 individuals with chronic shoulder pain over 18 years old, with pain of traumatic and non-traumatic origin for at least three months who were waiting for physiotherapeutic treatment were selected. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, which were recorded, transcribed, and submitted to thematic analysis and inductive coding.

Two themes were identified: 1) Positive beliefs and expectations with physiotherapy, and 2) Disbelief with physiotherapy intervention. For each theme, a category emerged, which were, respectively: Waiting for the improvement of the physical condition and the uncertainty of the success of the treatment. In topic 1, 16 patients reported that they expected physiotherapy to relieve pain; 7 individuals expected movement to be improved; 2 that physiotherapy would provide the cure, and finally, 1 hoped that the inflammation, which was the cause of the pain, would be improved: “What it get better, right? I hope to relieve the pain” (Patient 26); “Ah, help me to return with the normal movement of my arm, that's what I hope” (Patient 18); “Oh, it gets better. Cure! (Laughter). I want the cure! (...)” (Patient 10) “Expectation of improvement, a lot, cure I know that it can be possible, but it improves, it disinflames the arm because it is inflamed (...)” (Patient 9). In this theme, the codes that emerged were pain, movement, healing and disinflammation. In topic 2, two patients reported not knowing what to expect from physiotherapy: “Look, I can't say what physiotherapy can help me because I don't know what it's going to do, I don't know” (Patient 25); and 2 patients believed that only surgery could help the condition: “I wanted to have the surgery and it would be resolved soon (...) if I had done it a month after the trauma I would certainly be 100% today” (Patient 2). In this theme, the codes that emerged were uncertainty, time for improvement and surgery.

Most patients had positive expectations in relation to physiotherapeutic treatment in the Brazilian public sector. However, individuals who reported disbelief demonstrated not knowing what to expect from the treatment or that they believed that surgery would be the best way.

Reinforcing or elucidating the possible results that physiotherapy can deliver to patients in the Brazilian public sector with chronic shoulder pain, may favor the creation of high recovery expectations and consequently positively impact physiotherapy rehabilitation.