Ten sections on how back pain affects everyday activities, each scored 0 to 5, turned into a percentage from 0 to 100. The ODI is a standard outcome in back pain, spine surgery and device trials.
Free sandbox · No credit card · 21 CFR Part 11 aligned
12 months after surgery
18 / 100
At a glance
Licensing
Licence requiredRights holder: Mapi Research TrustThe ODI is copyrighted by Jeremy Fairbank and licensed through Mapi Research Trust, which supplies the current version (2.1a) and official translations.
In Capture: Capture doesn't supply this instrument or a licence for it. Once you have both, enter the official wording yourself, then switch on "Licence required" in the questionnaire's settings and record the licence number and expiry. Staff see a "copyright approval pending" watermark until you do, and Capture stops new data collection on the questionnaire after the recorded expiry date.
Mapi Research Trust (ePROVIDE)Instrument names belong to their rights holders, and Capture is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Terms change, so confirm them with the rights holder before your study starts. This is general information, not legal advice.
In trials
The ODI measures disability, not pain intensity. That is why spine surgery and device trials, and trials of treatments for chronic low back pain, pair it with a pain rating such as the NRS. Regulators and payers look for improvement in function as well as pain, and the ODI is one of the most recognised ways to show it.
Device studies, including long-term post-market follow-up of spinal implants, often collect the ODI before surgery and at fixed intervals for years afterwards. Because follow-up rarely involves clinic visits, remote completion keeps response rates up. See EDC for medical device trials.
Participants may skip the sex life section. The scoring formula divides by the maximum possible for the sections answered (5 × number answered), so one skipped section does not bias the score. Record a skip explicitly rather than leaving the field blank, so the denominator is clear.
Oswestry Disability Index · Month 3
Section 8 of 10 · approved licensed version
Section 8 · Sex life (if applicable)
ODI08Scoring
| Step | Example |
|---|---|
| Sections answered | 9 of 10 (sex life skipped) |
| Sum of section scores | 16 |
| Maximum possible | 5 × 9 = 45 |
| ODI | 16 ÷ 45 × 100 = 35.6% |
| Band | Moderate disability (21 to 40%) |
Use the licensed wording and official translations. Follow the scoring guidance supplied with the licence.
In Capture
Schedule the ODI before the procedure and at each follow-up time point, with windows and reminders. Participants complete it on their own phone. Each section is stored as a coded value with explicit skips, and the form records the licence number, holder and expiry.
Add pre-operative and yearly time points in the free sandbox.
Versions
Several versions of the ODI have circulated over the years, with different wording in some sections and different scoring conventions. Mixing versions within a study, or between a study and its comparator data, makes scores hard to compare. Obtain the current version through the licensing route, record the version on the form, and keep it fixed for the whole study.
The same applies to translations: use official translations from the licence holder rather than local ones, and record which language each participant completed.
Before go-live
Current version through the licence holder.
On the form and fixed for the study.
Explicit option for sections not answered.
Denominator based on sections answered.
NRS or VAS alongside for pain intensity.
Pre-operative baseline and fixed intervals.
It is the current version of the questionnaire. Record the version on the form and keep it fixed for the study.
About 5 minutes for most participants.
Each of ten sections is scored 0 to 5. The total is divided by the maximum possible for the sections answered and multiplied by 100.
Traditionally, 41 to 60% is described as severe disability, with higher bands indicating very severe limitation.
About 10 percentage points is often cited, but estimates vary by population and study.
The denominator uses only the sections answered. Record the skip explicitly.
It is copyrighted and licensed. Check the terms with the licence holder.
Section scores are stored as coded values, and the percentage is derived in analysis.
Licensed ODI with long follow-up schedules. Free sandbox.