Mr Bush had a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) check while he was at Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in Washington visiting patients who served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

'Following a review of the results of the MRI, President Bush received a cortisone shot for his left shoulder,' White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. 'No further medical action is expected to be necessary at this time.'

Mr Bush, 62, had been 'experiencing some pain', Mr Johndroe said.

Cortisone shots are generally given to reduce inflammation.

Mr Johndroe quoted Dr Richard Tubb, the president's physician, as saying it was 'probably just a little bit of wear and tear of an active individual'. Asked by reporters how his shoulder was doing, Mr Bush insisted he was in 'good shape' and joked that he could pitch about an '80 mile-an-hour fastball'.

Mr Johndroe said the shoulder pain had not affected Mr Bush's ability to do his job and that the president had gone biking over the weekend. -- REUTERS