DO OBJECTIVELY-MEASURED FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS REFLECT ROLAND MORRIS SELF-RATED DISABILITY SCORES IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC NON-SPECIFIC LBP?

BackgroundSelf-rated disability scores in patients with chronic LBP (cLBP) do not always relate well to performance in traditional physical tests (e.g. back strength, fatigability, etc.). Therefore tests using “functional activities” that challenge for example trunk mobility and movement speed have been suggested as alternative “objective” outcome measures. We examined the relationship between self-reported disability and a battery of such functional tests.Methods37 patients with cLBP took part (45±12y; 23f, 14m); 32 completed 9 weeks' physiotherapy. Before and after therapy, the patients completed the Roland Morris disability questionnaire (RM) and performed a battery of 8 simple tests (stair climb, prolonged flexion, stand to floor, lift test, sock test, roll-up test, pick-up test, fingertip-to-floor test).ResultsBaseline RM scores were significantly correlated with each of the functional test scores (ranging from r=0.33 (sock test) to 0.51 (fingertip to floor); p<0.05), and with a sum index score for a...