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 .
Randomised comparison of chiropractic and hospital outpatient management for low back pain: results from extended follow up
Abstract Objective : To compare the effectiveness over three years of chiropractic and hospital outpatient management for  low back pain .  Design : R and omised allocation of patients to chiropractic or hospital outpatient management . Setting : Chiropractic clinics and hospital outpatient departments within reasonable travelling distance of each other in 11 centres . Subjects : 741 men and women aged 18 - 64 years with low back pain in whom manipulation was not contraindicated . Outcome measures : Change in total Oswestry question naire score and in score for pain and patient satisfaction with allocated treatment . Results : According to total Oswestry scores improvement in all patients at three years was about 29 % more in those treated by chiropractors than in those treated by the hospitals . The beneficial effect of chiropractic on pain was particularly clear . Those treated by chiropractors had more further treatments for back pain after the completion of trial treatment . Among both those initially referred from chiropractors and from hospitals more rated chiropractic helpful at three years than hospital management . Conclusions : At three years the results confirm the findings of an earlier report that when chiropractic or hospital therapists treat patients with low back pain as they would in day to day practice those treated by chiropractic derive more benefit and long term satisfaction than those treated by hospitals
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 .