LUMBAR OUTCOME MEASURE

ODI Clinical Pro

Standardized Low Back Functional Impairment HUD

Select the one statement in each section that best describes your status today.

Complete the 10 sections to
generate Lumbar Disability HUD

EMR SOAP NOTE
Standardized scoring per Fairbank & Pynsent.

Scoring Interpretation

0-20%
Minimal
21-40%
Mod
41-60%
Severe
61-80%
Crippled
81%+
Bedbound

The Gold Standard for Low Back Pain

The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is widely considered the gold standard for assessing self-rated disability in individuals with lower back pain. It evaluates functional limitations across 10 essential dimensions of daily life.

Clinical Implementation

In the United States, insurance providers often require an ODI score to determine the medical necessity of physical therapy, spinal injections, or surgical intervention. An improvement of **10% to 12%** is typically required to prove functional progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you score the ODI if a section is skipped?

If a section (e.g., Sex Life) is skipped, the score is calculated based on the items answered. The sum is divided by the total possible points (e.g., 45 if one item is skipped) and multiplied by 100.

What does a score of 100% indicate?

A score of 100% represents the highest possible level of disability, where the patient is severely restricted in every category assessed.

Clinical Bibliography
  • 1. Fairbank JC, Pynsent PB. The Oswestry Disability Index. Spine. 2000.
  • 2. Davidson M, Keating JL. A comparison of five low back pain-specific disability questionnaires. Physical Therapy. 2002.
Dr. Nikhil Mahajan, PT
MPT-Ortho | Clinical Reviewer

CLINICAL RESOURCE
“

Mean arterial pressure (MAP) 70–100 mmHg is optimal.

— JAMA

“

Serum uric acid (men) 3.4–7.0 mg/dL is within normal range.

— NIH