The back pain functional scale: Features and applications

Abstract

Low back pain is one of the most common health problems worldwide as well as one of the most common problems in clinics. Therefore, practical evaluation methods are needed. Standardized self-report outcome measures provide a useful and practical method of collecting and synthesizing a large amount of information. Many outcome measures focusing on pain-related function have been developed for patients with low back pain. Back Pain Functional Scale is one of these in the form of questionnaires. It is a self-reported outcome measure containing 12 short and understandable items used in determining the functional level of patients with chronic low back pain. It is valid, reliable, and sensitive to clinical change. It is highly correlated with the Roland Morris Questionnaire, which is the most commonly used outcome measure for low back pain. However, it is more successful in detecting clinical change than the Roland Morris Questionnaire.