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Back Performance Scale for the Assessment of Mobility-Related Activities in People With Back Pain

LI Strand, PT, PhD, is Associate Professor, Section of Physiotherapy Science, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Ulriksdal 8c, Bergen, Norway (liv.strand{at}isf.uib.no). Address all correspondence to Dr Strand
R Moe-Nilssen, PT, PhD, is Associate Professor, Section of Physiotherapy Science, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen
AE Ljunggren, PT, PhD, is Professor, Section of Physiotherapy Science, Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen

Background and Purpose. Activities that require mobility of the trunk are often limited in patients with back problems. For this study, 5 tests (Sock Test, Pick-up Test, Roll-up Test, Fingertip-to-Floor Test, and Lift Test), all requiring sagittal-plane mobility, were performed, and the test scores were combined by the authors in a scale called the Back Performance Scale (BPS) to obtain a performance measure of mobility-related activities. Subjects. The participants were 288 patients with long-lasting musculoskeletal pain. Methods. The basis for constructing a sum scale (BPS), discriminative ability, and responsiveness to important change of the BPS were examined in patients with back pain. Results. Bivariate correlations (r_s) of scores among tests ranged from .27 to .50, and correlations between separate tests and the BPS ranged from .63 to .73. The Cronbach alpha was .73. The BPS sum scores discriminated between patients with different return to work status and were higher for back pain than for other musculoskeletal pain. Responsiveness was high (effect size=1.33) in patients who had changed and low (effect size=0.31) in patients who had not changed, using return to work as an external indicator of important change. The BPS was more responsive than the separate tests. Discussion and Conclusion. The BPS appears to measure an aspect of physical performance that is of clinical importance to patients with back pain.

Key Words: Activity limitation • Back pain • Physical performance • Responsiveness • Validity

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