Article

There is potential value in developing a brief assessment tool for
assessing recovery after musculoskeletal injuries. Our goal was to investigate
the association between a one-item global self-assessment of recovery and
commonly used measures of recovery status. METHOD:
We followed a cohort of 6,021
adults with acute whiplash-associated disorders for six months. Pain, depression,
work status and physical health were assessed at baseline and follow-up. The
question "How do you feel you are recovering from your injury?" (six response
options from "all better" to "getting much worse") and functional limitations
were administered at follow-up. RESULTS: Responses to the recovery question was
associated with our other indices of recovery. Those "all better" had the lowest
pain intensity, pain-related limitations, depression and work disability, and the
best general physical health. Incrementally poorer recovery ratings on the
recovery question were associated with greater pain, functional limitations and
depression, poorer physical health and being off work, although "no improvement"
and "getting a little worse" were similar. Recovery categories also reflected
different degrees of actual improvements over the preceding follow-up period.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a single recovery question is a useful
tool for conducting brief global assessments of recovery of musculoskeletal
injuries.

Langue : ANGLAIS