oswestry low back pain questionnaire

name .................................... address .............................................. date ................

date of birth ............. age........ ...........................................................
occupation ............................ ...........................................................
how long have you had back pain? ......... years ......... months ......... weeks
how long have you had leg pain? ......... years ......... months ......... weeks
please read:
this questionnaire has been designed to give the doctor only the one box which applies to you. we realise you may
informat-ion as to how your back pain has affected your ability consid-er that 2 statements in any 1 section relate to you, but
to manage in everyday life – please answer every section, & please just mark the box which most closely describes your
mark in each one problem

section 1 - pain intensity section 6 - standing

 I can tolerate the pain I have without having to use pain  I can stand as long as I want without extra pain
killers  I can stand as long as I want but it gives me extra pain
 the pain is bad but I manage without taking pain killers  pain prevents me from standing for more than 1 hour
 pain killers give complete relief from pain  pain prevents me from standing for more than 1/2 hour
 pain killers give moderate relief from pain  pain prevents me from standing for more than 10 minutes
 pain killers give very little relief from pain  pain prevents me from standing at all
 pain killers have no effect on the pain and I do not use them
section 7 - sleeping
section 2 - personal care (washing, dressing, etc)  pain does not prevent me from sleeping well
 I can look after myself normally without causing extra pain  I can sleep well only by using tablets
 I can look after myself normally but it causes extra pain  even when I take tablets I have less than six hours sleep
 it is painful to look after myself and I am slow and careful  even when I take tablets I have less than four hours sleep
 I need some help but manage most of my personal care  even when I take tablets I have less than two hours sleep
 I need help every day in most aspects of self care  pain prevents me from sleeping at all
 I do not get dressed, wash with difficulty and stay in bed
section 8 - sex life
section 3 - lifting  my sex life is normal and causes no extra pain
 I can lift heavy weights without extra pain  my sex life is normal but causes some extra pain
 I can lift heavy weights but it gives extra pain  my sex life is nearly normal but is very painful
 pain prevents me from lifting heavy weights off the floor,  my sex life is severely restricted by pain
but I can manage if they are conveniently positioned, eg on  my sex life is nearly absent because of pain
a table  pain prevents any sex life at all
 pain prevents me from lifting heavy weights but I can
manage light to medium weights if they are conveniently section 9 - social life
positioned  my social life is normal and gives me no extra pain
 I can lift only very light weights  my social life is normal but increases the degree of pain
 I cannot lift or carry anything at all  pain has no significant effect on my social life apart from
 limiting my more energetic interests, eg dancing etc
section 4 - walking  pain has restricted social life and I do not go out as often
 pain does not prevent me walking any distance  pain has restricted my social life to my home
 pain prevents me walking more than 1 mile  I have no social life because of pain
 pain prevents me walking more than 1/2 mile
 pain prevents me walking more than 1/4 mile section 10 - travelling
 I can only walk using a stick or crutches  I can travel anywhere without extra pain
 I am in bed most of the time and have to crawl to the toilet  I can travel anywhere but it gives me extra pain
 pain is bad but I manage journeys over two hours
section 5 - sitting  pain restricts me to journeys of less than one hour
 I can sit in any chair as long as i like  pain restricts me to short necessary journeys of less than
 I can only sit in my favourite chair as long as i like  1/2 hour
 pain prevents me from sitting more than 1 hour  pain prevents me from travelling except to the doctor
 pain prevents me from sitting more than 1/2 hour  or hospital
 pain prevents me from sitting more than 10 minutes from: Fairbank J C T, Couper J, Davies J B & O'Brien J P
 pain prevents me from sitting at all Physiotherapy 1980; 66: 271-73
comments
 scoring the oswestry low back
pain
disability questionnaire

scoring (not seen by patients)

for each section the total possible score is 5; if the first statement is marked, the section score = 0; if the
last, the score = 5; etc.
if all sections are completed the score is calculated if one section is missed or not applicable the score is
as follows: calculated:
example: 16 (total scored) x 100 = 32% example: 16 (total scored) x 100 =
50 (total possible score) 35.5%
45 (total possible score)

the authors suggest grouping the scores as:

0-20%: minimal disability

20-40%: moderate disability
40-60%: severe disability
60-80%: crippled
80-100%: bed-bound or exaggerating