Perceived relative importance of pain-related functions among patients with low back pain.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the functional status of patients with low back pain and the perceived importance of pain-related everyday functions assessed in the Oswestry Disability Index.

Design: The sample was based on 219 successive adult patients with low back pain referred to a tertiary clinic.

Patients: A total of 168 patients (76.

Perceived disadvantages caused by low back pain.

Objective: To evaluate the perceived disadvantages caused by low back pain in work, household chores and leisure-time activities, as expressed by patients themselves.

Design And Subjects: Structured telephone interviews, carried out among a sample of 39 physician referrals (29 women and 10 men) for non-specific chronic low back pain to University Hospital, Turku, covered how low back pain affected their daily living, with separate sections for work, household chores and leisure time. Disadvantages in daily activities were measured using numeric rating scales (0-100).