Oswestry Low Back Disability Questionnaire
Section 5 – Sitting
I can sit in any chair as long as I like
I can only sit in my favourite chair as long as
I like
Pain prevents me sitting more than one hour
Pain prevents me from sitting more than
30 minutes
Pain prevents me from sitting more than
10 minutes
Pain prevents me from sitting at all
Section 6 – Standing
I can stand as long as I want without extra pain
I can stand as long as I want but it gives me
extra pain
Pain prevents me from standing for more than
1 hour
Pain prevents me from standing for more than
30 minutes
Pain prevents me from standing for more than
10 minutes
Pain prevents me from standing at all
Section 7 – Sleeping
My sleep is never disturbed by pain
My sleep is occasionally disturbed by pain
Because of pain I have less than 6 hours sleep
Because of pain I have less than 4 hours sleep
Because of pain I have less than 2 hours sleep
Pain prevents me from sleeping at all
Section 8 – Sex life (if applicable)
My sex life is normal and causes no extra pain
My sex life is normal but causes some extra
pain
My sex life is nearly normal but is very painful
My sex life is severely restricted by pain
My sex life is nearly absent because of pain
Pain prevents any sex life at all
Section 9 – Social life
My social life is normal and gives me no extra
pain
My social life is normal but increases the
degree of pain
Pain has no significant effect on my social life
apart from limiting my more energetic interests
eg, sport
Pain has restricted my social life and I do not go
out as often
Pain has restricted my social life to my home
I have no social life because of pain
Section 10 – Travelling
I can travel anywhere without pain
I can travel anywhere but it gives me extra pain
Pain is bad but I manage journeys over two
hours
Pain restricts me to journeys of less than one
hour
Pain restricts me to short necessary journeys
under 30 minutes
Pain prevents me from travelling except to
receive treatment
.
Page 3
References
1. Fairbank JC, Pynsent PB. The Oswestry Disability Index. Spine 2000 Nov 15;25(22):2940-52;
discussion 52.