Objective : The low back pain was the main reason of receiving acupuncture treatment. Despite its widespread prevalence, objective data assessing the pain and the results of various forms of treatment were difficult to find in korea. In order to compare the value of different types of treatment, it was necessary to use standard and meaningful forms of assessment.
Methods : Pain and functional disability scales for low back pain were reviewed for contents, measurement properties and current methodological issues.
Results and Conclusions :
1. The SF-36 Bodily Pain Scale and the Graded Chronic Pain Scale were commonly used for the standard pain scale.
2. The 0swestry Disability Questionnaire and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire were commonly used for the standard function scale.
3. When evaluated, there was no definite answer to the results of the treatment. In the literature, the responsiveness of the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire ranged from 2 to 8 points but clinically, the ranges should be minimally changed from 2 to 3 points.
4. In the future, scale for low back pain should be standardized in multiple dimension so that the computerized adaptive testing by Item Response Theory could be widely used.
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