WOMAC Index was developed in 1982 at Western Ontario and McMaster Universities.
Objective
The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) is widely used in the evaluation of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis.
Intended Population
Age range
- Adult
Conditions:
WOMAC Index was developed for hip and knee osteoarthritis, however it has been used with other rheumatic conditions such as: rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, systemic lupus erythematosus and low back pain.
Body Part
- Lower Extremity
Area of Assessment
- Activities of daily living, general health.
Key Descriptions
Widely used self-administered health status measure (PRO) assessing pain, stiffness, and function in patients with OA of the hip or knee.
The WOMAC measures three separate dimensions:
- Pain (5 questions)
- Stiffness (2 questions)
- Function (17 questions)
The original WOMAC is available in two formats, Visual Analog Scales and Likert-boxes, with similar metric properties.
Method of Use
The WOMAC takes approximately 10 -1 5 minutes to complete, and can be taken on paper, over the telephone or computer.
The test questions are scored on a scale of 0-4, which correspond to: None (0), Mild (1), Moderate (2), Severe (3), and Extreme (4).
The scores for each subscale are summed up, with a possible score range of 0-20 for Pain, 0-8 for Stiffness, and 0-68 for Physical Function. Usually a sum of the scores for all three subscales gives a total WOMAC score.
Higher scores on the WOMAC indicate worse pain, stiffness, and functional limitations
YOU CAN USE THIS FORM BELOW TO ASSESS YOUR PATIENT AND PRINT IT OUT OR SAVE AS PDF FILE.
Evidence
Reliability
The test-retest reliability of the WOMAC varies for the different subscales. The pain subscale has not been consistent across studies, but it generally meets the minimum standard. The physical function subscale is more consistent and has a stronger test-retest reliability. The stiffness subscale has shown low test-retest reliability.
Validity
Responsiveness
The WOMAC Index has been used extensively in clinical trials, and has generally been shown to exhibit greater or comparable responsiveness to change than other tests. This varies, however, for different subscales and types of interventions.