title: Comparison of SF-36 and Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment in recovery from fixation of unstable ankle fractures.
abstract: This study assessed whether the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment questionnaire had fewer floor or ceiling effects than the SF-36 in evaluation of the functional recovery of operatively stabilized isolated ankle fractures. We also hypothesized that the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment would be more effective than the (Short Form) SF-36 in discriminating the functional recovery of different groups of patients after an ankle fracture. One hundred twenty-seven patients with an isolated ankle fracture were evaluated with the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment and SF-36 questionnaires after operative fracture fixation. The Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment had fewer floor and ceiling effects in long-term follow-up of patients with an isolated unstable ankle fracture. The Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment and SF-36 both appear able to assess general patient health, and both instruments identify patients who had significant problems with functional recovery. The Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment may be a more effective single instrument to track a patient's functional recovery than the SF-36 if it is able to assess general health and identify patients who are having poorer functional activity without significant floor or ceiling effects.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: William T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Obremskey
authors.forename: Ouida
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Driver
authors.forename: Douglas R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Dirschl
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires