Rheumatology
The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is a patient questionnaire designed to quantify the impact of low back pain on various activities of daily living. It comprises ten sections, each scored from 0 to 5, and expresses the result as a percentage of disability. The exact version — notably ODI 2.1a — must be kept consistent from one measurement to the next.
Number of questions
10 sections
Approximate duration
5 to 10 minutes
Population
Adults suffering from lower back pain
Modality
self-administered questionnaire
Terms of contract
Self-administered questionnaire completed by the patient, who checks the single statement in each section that best describes their situation. Use the same version (e.g. ODI 2.1a) for each assessment. A section left blank or marked as not applicable is not scored as zero: the denominator is adjusted according to the rules of the version used.
Score interpretationODI
Score = sum of points / (5 × number of valid sections) × 100, from 0 to 100%. An unanswered question is not scored as zero: the denominator is adjusted according to the manual of the version used.
Total score
First reading
0
to
20
Approximately 0–20%: minimal limitation.
21
to
40
Approximately 21–40%: moderate limitation.
41
to
60
Approximately 41–60%: severe limitation.
61
to
80
Approximately 61–80%: very severe limitation.
81
to
100
Approximately 81–100%: extreme limitation.
Traditional benchmarks: 0–20% minimal limitation; 21–40% moderate; 41–60% severe; 61–80% very severe; 81–100% extreme.
The ODI measures the functional impact, not the anatomical cause of low back pain. Certain items may be less relevant depending on personal circumstances.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the score a percentage?
Can a question be left blank?
What are its limitations?
Sources and references
Jeremy Fairbank; distributed by Mapi Research Trust
ePROVIDE — Oswestry Disability Index
In practice
Full name
Oswestry Disability Index
Method
self-administered questionnaire
Language
French (validated version)
Authors
Jeremy Fairbank; distributed by Mapi Research Trust
One-off collection or questionnaire integrated into a journey: let's discuss your needs with Aldebaran.
Test Aldebaran
