Measurement scales in clinical research of the upper extremity, part 2: outcome measures in studies of the hand/wrist and shoulder/elbow.

Part 1 of this article outlined the basic characteristics of useful clinical measurement instruments and described scales used to measure general health, pain, and patient satisfaction. Part 2 describes the features of some of the scales most commonly used in clinical research in the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

Measurement scales in clinical research of the upper extremity, part 1: general principles, measures of general health, pain, and patient satisfaction.

Measurement is a fundamental cornerstone in all aspects of scientific discovery, including clinical research. To be useful, measurement instruments must meet several key criteria, the most important of which are satisfactory reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Part 1 of this article reviews the general concepts of measurement instruments and describes the measurement of general health, pain, and patient satisfaction.