These data provide both validation and st and ards for other users and indicate the power of the instrument for detecting change in sample population s. CONCLUSIONS 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
STUDY DESIGN The Oswestry Disability Index ( ODI ) has become one of the principal condition-specific outcome measures used in the management of spinal disorders .
This review is based on publications using the ODI identified from the authors ' personal data bases , the Science Citation Index , and h and search es of Spine and current textbooks of spinal disorders .
OBJECTIVES 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 .
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA It has now been 20 years since its original publication .
More than 200 citations exist in the Science Citation Index .
Low back pain of mechanical origin: randomized comparison of chiropractic and hospital outpatient treatment.
Reprinted with permission from the British Medical Journal 300:1431 - 1437.1990 . Objective - To compare chiropractic and hospital outpatient treatment for managing low back pain of mechanical origin . Design - R and omized controlled trial . Allocation to chiropractic or hospital management by minimization to establish groups for analysis of results according to initial referral clinic , length of current episode , history , and severity of back pain . Patients were followed up for up to two years . Setting - Chiropractic and hospital outpatient clinics in 11 centers . Patients - 741 patients aged 18 - 65 who had no contraindications to manipulation and who had not been treated within the past month . Interventions - Treatment at the discretion of the chiropractors , who used chiropractic manipulation in most patients , or of the hospital staff , who most commonly used Maitl and mobilization or manipulation , or both . Main outcome measures - Changes in the score on the Oswestry pain disability question naire and in the results of tests of straight leg raising and lumbar flexion . Results - Chiropractic treatment was more effective than hospital outpatient management , mainly for patients with chronic or severe back pain . A benefit of about 7 percent points on the Oswestry scale was seen at two years . The benefit of chiropractic treatment became more evident throughout the follow-up period . Secondary outcome measures also showed that chiropractic was more beneficial . Conclusions - For patients with low back pain in whom manipulation is not contraindicated , chiropractic almost certainly confers worthwhile , long-term benefit in comparison with hospital outpatient management . The benefit is seen mainly in those with chronic or severe pain . Introducing chiropractic into NHS practice should be considered . J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1991;13(6):278 - 287
These data provide both validation and st and ards for other users and indicate the power of the instrument for detecting change in sample population s. CONCLUSIONS 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
STUDY DESIGN The Oswestry Disability Index ( ODI ) has become one of the principal condition-specific outcome measures used in the management of spinal disorders .
This review is based on publications using the ODI identified from the authors ' personal data bases , the Science Citation Index , and h and search es of Spine and current textbooks of spinal disorders .
OBJECTIVES 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 .
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA It has now been 20 years since its original publication .
More than 200 citations exist in the Science Citation Index .