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 .
Assessing change over time in patients with low back pain.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study compared the ability of the Rol and -Morris ( RM ) , Oswestry ( OSW ) , and Jan van Breemen Institute ( JVB ) pain and function question naires to detect change over time . SUBJECTS The sample consisted of 88 patients with mechanical low back pain who were referred by physicians to the outpatient physical therapy department of a teaching hospital . METHODS Question naires were completed by the subjects at their initial visit and 4 to 6 weeks later . Clinical ly important change was estimated by having the subject and the clinician independently complete two rating scales . Sensitivity to change was assessed using receiver operating characteristic ( ROC ) curve analysis . RESULTS The ROC curve areas for the RM ( 0.79 ) , OSW ( 0.78 ) , and JVB pain ( 0.79 ) question naires were significantly greater than for the JVB function question naire ( 0.66 ) . Blank and multiple responses per item were present on approximately 20 % of the OSW question naires and 14 % of the JVB question naires . Words rather than checks were evident on 3 % of the RM question naires . CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION Based on the latter finding , we believe the RM question naire may be the preferred instrument for assessing change over time in patients with low back pain
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 .