Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Perceived functional ability assessed with the spinal function sort: is it valid for European rehabilitation settings in patients with non-specific non-acute low back pain?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Spine Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study involving 170 patients suffering from non-specific low back pain was to test the validity of the spinal function sort (SFS) in a European rehabilitation setting. The SFS, a picture-based questionnaire, assesses perceived functional ability of work tasks involving the spine. All measurements were taken by a blinded research assistant; work status was assessed with questionnaires. Our study demonstrated a high internal consistency shown by a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.98, reasonable evidence for unidimensionality, spearman correlations of >0.6 with work activities, and discriminating power for work status at 3 and 12 months by ROC curve analysis (area under curve = 0.760 (95% CI 0.689–0.822), respectively, 0.801 (95% CI 0.731–0.859). The standardised response mean within the two treatment groups was 0.18 and −0.31. As a result, we conclude that the perceived functional ability for work tasks can be validly assessed with the SFS in a European rehabilitation setting in patients with non-specific low back pain, and is predictive for future work status.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Woolf AD, Pfleger B (2003) Burden of major musculoskeletal conditions. Bull World Health Organ 81:646–656

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Fordyce W (1995) Back pain in the workplace: management of disability in nonspecific conditions: task force on pain in the workplace. IASP Press, Seattle

  3. Frymoyer JW, Cats-Baril WL (1991) An overview of the incidences and costs of low back pain. Orthop Clin North Am 22:263–271

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Waddell G (1998) The back pain revolution. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  5. COST B (2006) European guidelines for the management of acute nonspecific low back pain in primary care. Eur Spine J 15(Suppl 2):S125–S300

    Google Scholar 

  6. Abenhaim L, Rossignol M, Valat JP, Nordin M, Avouac B, Blotman F, Charlot J, Dreiser RL, Legrand E, Rozenberg S, Vautravers P (2000) The role of activity in the therapeutic management of back pain. Report of the International Paris Task Force on Back Pain. Spine 25:1S–33S

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rahman A, Reed E, Underwood M, Shipley M, Omar R (2008) Factors affecting self-efficacy and pain intensity in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain seen in a specialist rheumatology pain clinic. Rheumatology 47:1803–1808

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bandura A (1994) Self-efficacy. In: Ramachaudran V (ed) Encyclopedia of human behavior. Academic Press, New York, pp 71–88

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hoogendoorn WE, van Poppel MN, Bongers PM, Koes BW, Bouter LM (1999) Physical load during work and leisure time as risk factors for back pain. Scand J Work Environ Health 25:387–403

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Matheson L, Matheson M, Grant N (1993) Development of a measure of perceived functional ability. J Occup Rehabil 3:15–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Adams J (2009) Literacy levels required to complete the patients reported functional outcomes measures in rheumatology. Ann Rheum Dis 68:771

    Google Scholar 

  12. Oliveri M (2004) Arbeitsbezogene funktionelle Leistungsfähigkeit (Evaluation der funktionellen Leistungsfähigkeit EFL). In: Hildebrandt J, Müller G, Pfingsten M (eds) Lendenwirbelsäule Ursachen, Diagnostik und Therapie von Rückenschmerzen. Urban & Fischer, München, pp 220–235

    Google Scholar 

  13. Sufka A, Hauger B, Trenary M, Bishop B, Hagen A, Lozon R, Martens B (1998) Centralization of low back pain and perceived functional outcome. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 27:205–212

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Robinson RC, Kishino N, Matheson L, Woods S, Hoffman K, Unterberg J, Pearson C, Adams L, Gatchel RJ (2003) Improvement in postoperative and nonoperative spinal patients on a self-report measure of disability: the spinal function sort (SFS). J Occup Rehabil 13:107–113

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Gibson L, Strong J (2002) Expert review of an approach to functional capacity evaluation. Work 19:231–242

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Kool JP, Oesch PR, Bachmann S, Knuesel O, Dierkes JG, Russo M, de Bie RA, van den Brandt PA (2005) Increasing days at work using function-centered rehabilitation in nonacute nonspecific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 86:857–864

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kool J, Bachmann S, Oesch P, Knuesel O, Ambergen T, de Bie R, van den Brandt P (2007) Function-centered rehabilitation increases work days in patients with nonacute nonspecific low back pain: 1-year results from a randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 88:1089–1094

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Matheson LN, Matheson M (1989) Spinal function sort, rating of perceived capacity. Performance Assessment and Capacity Testing PACT. Performance Assessment and Capacity Testing PACT, Trabuco Canyon, California

  19. Biering-Sorensen F (1984) Physical measurements as risk indicators for low-back trouble over a one-year period. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 9:106–119

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Isernhagen S (1995) Contemporary issues in functional capacity evaluation. In: Isernhagen S (ed) The comprehensive guide to work injury management. Aspen Publishers, Gaithersburg, pp 410–429

    Google Scholar 

  21. Waddell G, Newton M, Henderson I, Somerville D, Main CJ (1993) A fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire (FABQ) and the role of fear-avoidance beliefs in chronic low back pain and disability. Pain 52:157–168

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Bryman A (2004) Social research methods. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  23. Polit D, Beck C (2008) Developing and testing self-report scales. In: Polit D, Beck C (eds) Nursing research, generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice. Lippincott, Philadelphia, pp 474–505

  24. Zweig M, Campbell G (1993) Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) plots: a fundamental evaluation tool in clinical medicine. Clin Chem 39:561–577

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Reneman MF, Jorritsma W, Schellekens JM, Goeken LN (2002) Concurrent validity of questionnaire and performance-based disability measurements in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain. J Occup Rehabil 12:119–129

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The randomised controlled trial was supported by the Swiss Federal Office of Health (Grant no. 00.00437). We thank Patricia Bigger, who performed the postal follow-up measurements persistently and with admirable patience, and Ariane Knüsel for her assistance in preparing the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Department, Rehabilitation Centre Valens, Valens, Switzerland

    P. R. Oesch & S. Bachmann

  2. Department of Rheumatology, Rehabilitation Centre Valens, Valens, Switzerland

    P. R. Oesch & S. Bachmann

  3. Health and Social Work, HES-SO Valais, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland, Sion, Switzerland

    R. Hilfiker

  4. School of Physiotherapy, Zurich University of Applied Science, Zurich, Switzerland

    J. P. Kool

  5. Department of Geriatrics, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

    S. Bachmann

  6. Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    K. B. Hagen

Authors
  1. P. R. Oesch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Hilfiker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. P. Kool
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. S. Bachmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. K. B. Hagen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. R. Oesch.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Oesch, P.R., Hilfiker, R., Kool, J.P. et al. Perceived functional ability assessed with the spinal function sort: is it valid for European rehabilitation settings in patients with non-specific non-acute low back pain?. Eur Spine J 19, 1527–1533 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-010-1429-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-010-1429-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation