A1 Journal article (refereed)
Validation of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index in Patients Having Undergone Ankle Fracture Surgery (2019)

Ponkilainen, Ville T.; Häkkinen, Arja H.; Uimonen, Mikko M.; Tukiainen, Erkki; Sandelin, Henrik; Repo, Jussi P. (2019). Validation of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index in Patients Having Undergone Ankle Fracture Surgery. Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery, 58 (6), 1100-1107. DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2019.01.018

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Ponkilainen, Ville T.; Häkkinen, Arja H.; Uimonen, Mikko M.; Tukiainen, Erkki; Sandelin, Henrik; Repo, Jussi P.

Journal or series: Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery

ISSN: 1067-2516

eISSN: 1542-2224

Publication year: 2019

Volume: 58

Issue number: 6

Pages range: 1100-1107

Publisher: Elsevier Inc.

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jfas.2019.01.018

Open Access: Publication channel is not openly available

Abstract

The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) is a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) that is widely used to evaluate the pain, stiffness, and physical function of patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee. Although the WOMAC has also been used for patients after foot and ankle surgery, it has not been validated for this purpose. A total of 130 patients with surgically treated ankle fractures completed the WOMAC, Visual Analogue Scale Foot and Ankle (VAS FA), Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), 15D Health-Related Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (15D), and Visual Analog Scale for General Health (VAS general health) after foot and ankle surgery. The structural validity of the WOMAC was assessed by using Cronbach's α, and convergent validity was tested between the WOMAC and reference outcome measures. Cronbach's α for the index score was 0.98 and 0.95, 0.86, and 0.98 for the Pain, Stiffness, and Physical Function subscales, respectively. The Spearman correlation coefficients were ‒0.84, ‒0.74, ‒0.58, and 0.55 for the VAS-FA, LEFS, 15D, and VAS general health, respectively. The relationships with the VAS-FA, LEFS, 15D, and VAS general health were strong. All relationships were statistically significant (p < .001). The WOMAC provides valid scores for assessing pain, stiffness, and physical function in patients having undergone ankle fracture surgery.

Keywords: ankles; bone fractures; surgical treatment; treatment outcomes; physical functioning; psychometrics; reliability (science); validity

Free keywords: ankle; LEFS; psychometrics; reliability validity; VAS-FAWOMAC

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2019

JUFO rating: 1