The ODI remains a valid and vigorous measure and has been a worthwhile outcome measure .
The behavior of the instrument is incompletely understood , particularly in sensitivity to real change .
The Oswestry Disability Index ( ODI ) has become one of the principal condition-specific outcome measures used in the management of spinal disorders .
To review the versions of this instrument , document methods by which it has been vali date d , collate data from scores found in normal and back pain population s , provide curves for power calculations in studies using the ODI , and maintain the ODI as a gold st and ard outcome measure .
It has now been 20 years since its original publication .
Return to work following an aquafitness and muscle strengthening program for the low back injured.
Our purpose , in this prospect i ve clinical study , was to identify the best predictors of 2-month return to work or retraining for a group of low back injured subjects ( n = 40 ) who completed at least 8 weeks of a community-based rehabilitation program that combined aerobic and flexibility exercise conducted in the water ( aquafitness ) with muscle strength and endurance training .  Baseline demographic characteristics and changes in physical fitness , pain , disability , and psychological well-being during the course of program participation were compared between two groups of low back injured subjects : those who returned to work ( RTW ) [ n = 24 ] , and those who did not ( N-RTW ) [ n = 16 ] . Subjects in both groups showed comparable improvement in measures of physical fitness at 8 weeks . However , multivariate analyses showed significant between-group differences in self-report measures . The RTW group showed significant improvement in measures of pain , disability , anxiety , and vigor while self-esteem and affect remained stable . The N-RTW group displayed no change in pain and disability variables and had significant deterioration in mean overall psychological well-being over time . The best predictors of return to work using logistic regression analyses were a first injury rather than a repeat injury to the lower back , and stability in self-esteem . Suggestions are offered for further research to examine the benefits of aquafit exercise for the low back injured , for additional interventions for those with a reinjury , and for maintaining or enhancing self-esteem as a treatment goal
The ODI remains a valid and vigorous measure and has been a worthwhile outcome measure .
The behavior of the instrument is incompletely understood , particularly in sensitivity to real change .
The Oswestry Disability Index ( ODI ) has become one of the principal condition-specific outcome measures used in the management of spinal disorders .
To review the versions of this instrument , document methods by which it has been vali date d , collate data from scores found in normal and back pain population s , provide curves for power calculations in studies using the ODI , and maintain the ODI as a gold st and ard outcome measure .
It has now been 20 years since its original publication .