Functional outcome measures of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures have been documented using general health surveys (SF36) and disease-specific health surveys (Visual Analogue Scale). A simple oral analogue scale (OAS) was collected on 115 patients with 124 displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures at 2 years or more after fractures. There was a high correlation (r = 0.72, P < 0.0001) between the verbal OAS and the written Visual Analogue Scale. We believe that the OAS may assist in follow-up outcome assessment and management in this difficult trauma patient population. Outcomes may be accomplished verbally rather than in written form.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
. AuE.LoprinziC.L.DhodapkarM.NelsonT.NovotnyP.HammackJ.O'FallonJ.: Regular use of a verbal pain scale improves the understanding of oncology inpatient pain intensity. J. Clin. Oncol., 12: 2751–2755, 1994.
2.
. BondA.LaderM.: The use of analogue scales in rating subjective feelings. Br. J. Med. Psychol., 47: 211–218, 1974.
3.
. BuckleyR.E.MeekR.N.: Comparison of open versus closed reduction of intra-articular calcaneal fractures: a matched cohort in workmen. J. Orthop. Trauma, 6: 216–222, 1992.
4.
. ChapmanC.R.CaseyK.L.DubnerR.FoleyK.M.GracelyR.H.ReadingA.E.: Pain measurement: an overview. Pain, 22: 1–31, 1985.
5.
. ChoiniereM.AmselR.: A visual analogue thermometer for measuring pain intensity. J. Pain Symptom Manage., 11: 299–311, 1996.
6.
. DownieW.W.LeathamP.A.RhindV.M.WrightV.BrancoJ.A.AndersonJ.A.: Studies with pain rating scales. Ann. Rheum. Dis., 37: 378–381, 1978.
7.
. FlandryF.HuntJ.P.TerryG.C.HughstonJ.C.: Analysis of subjective knee complaints using visual analogue scales. Am. J. Sports Med., 19: 112–118, 1991.
8.
. HildebrandK.A.BuckleyR.E.MohtadiN.G.H.FarisP.: Functional outcome measures after displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures. J. Bone Joint Surg., 78B: 119–223, 1996.
9.
. JensenM.P.KarolyP.BraverS.: The measurement of clinical pain intensity: a comparison of six methods. Pain, 27: 117–126, 1986.
10.
. LittmanG.S.WalkerB.R.SchneiderB.E.: Reassessment of verbal and visual analogue ratings in analgesic studies. Clin. Pharmacol. Then, 38: 16–23, 1985.
11.
. MelzackR.: The McGill Pain Questionnaire. Pain, 1: 277–299, 1975.
12.
. OhnhausE.E.AdlerR.: Methodological problems in the measurement of pain: a comparison between the verbal rating scale and the visual analogue scale. Pain, 1: 379–384, 1975.
13.
. PriceD.D.BushF.M.LongS.HarkinsS.W.: A comparison of pain measurement characteristics of mechanical, visual, analogue, and simple numerical rating scales. Pain, 56: 217–226, 1994.
14.
. PriceD.D.McGrathP.A.RafiA.BuckinghamB.: The validation of visual analogue scales as ratio scale measures for chronic and experimental pain. Pain, 17: 45–56, 1983.
15.
. WareJ.E.SherboumeC.D.: The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF36): conceptual framework and item selection. Med. Care, 30: 473–483, 1992.
