Self-reports and clinician-measured physical function among patients with low back pain: a comparison.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationships among self-reported activity limitation and clinician-measured functional performance tests.


METHODS
Case series survey.


METHODS
A referral-based orthopedic spine clinic in Houston, TX.


METHODS
Eighty-three patients (48 women, 35 men) with low back pain (LBP).


METHODS
The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and a physical performance test (PPT) battery.


METHODS
Self-reported activity limitation (eg, walking, bending, getting out of chair, putting on sock, doing heavy jobs) was assessed by the RMDQ. Clinician-measured functional performance was assessed with the PPT, a battery comprised 6 tests: lumbar flexion range of motion, a 50-foot walk at fastest speed, a 5-minute walk, 5 repetitions of sit-to-stand, 10 repetitions of trunk flexion, and loaded reach task (patients reached forward while holding a weight weighing 5% of their body weight).


RESULTS
Pearson's product-moment correlations between total RMDQ score and each of the performance tests ranged from.29 to.41. Point biserial correlations between individual RMDQ items and their corresponding performance tests were slightly lower, ranging from.20 to.33.


CONCLUSIONS
There were moderate correlations between self-reported activity limitation and corresponding clinician-measured performance tests. The unique perspective each method provides appears to be useful for a comprehensive understanding of physical function in patients with LBP.
School of Physical Therapy, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
C E
CE
Lee
M J
MJ
Simmonds
D M
DM
Novy
S
S
Jones
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires