Description

The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ-24) is a widely used self-report instrument designed to assess functional disability associated with low back pain. It focuses on the extent to which low back pain interferes with an individual’s ability to perform everyday activities and maintain usual functioning.

The questionnaire provides a brief and practical measure of the functional burden associated with low back pain and can be used both for initial assessment and for monitoring changes in disability over time.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the RMDQ-24 is to assess the degree of functional disability caused by low back pain.

The instrument may be used to:

  • describe the severity of functional limitation,
  • monitor progress during treatment or rehabilitation,
  • assess changes in the ability to perform daily activities,
  • and support broader clinical evaluation.

The RMDQ score is not, by itself, a diagnostic measure; rather, it reflects the functional impact of low back pain.

Structure of the Questionnaire

The RMDQ-24 consists of 24 statements concerning everyday activities and behaviors that may be affected by low back pain.

Respondents are asked to indicate whether each statement applies to their current condition, typically using “Yes” or “No” responses.

In this way, the questionnaire assesses specific functional limitations rather than pain intensity alone.

Scoring

The total score is calculated by counting the number of positively endorsed statements that indicate limitation due to low back pain.

The total score ranges from:

0 to 24

where:

  • 0 indicates no functional disability according to the questionnaire,
  • while 24 represents the highest possible level of functional limitation.

Therefore, higher scores indicate greater disability and greater interference with everyday functioning.

The source material provides the following indicative categories:

  • 0–4: Low disability
  • 5–9: Moderate disability
  • 10–24: High disability

However, interpretation is preferably based on the specific clinical or research context rather than relying exclusively on categorical cut-off values.

Data Analysis and Use

The total score may be used as a continuous indicator of functional disability.

In clinical and research applications, possible analyses include:

  • descriptive statistics to summarize disability levels,
  • pre-post comparisons following treatment or rehabilitation,
  • comparisons between groups,
  • and correlation analyses with variables such as pain intensity, mobility, and other indicators of functional status.

The RMDQ is particularly useful in repeated assessments because it allows clinicians and researchers to monitor changes in functional disability over time.

Applications

The RMDQ-24 is used in clinical and research settings involving individuals with low back pain and related musculoskeletal conditions.

It may be applied:

  • during the initial assessment of functional status,
  • for monitoring rehabilitation,
  • for evaluating therapeutic interventions,
  • and in clinical studies examining the course of low back pain and associated disability.

Interpretation of the results should be combined with the patient’s broader clinical presentation and other relevant information, since the RMDQ primarily reflects the functional impact of pain.

References

Roland, M., & Morris, R. (1983). A study of the natural history of back pain. Part I: The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. Spine, 8(2), 141–144.

Roland, M., & Morris, R. (1986). A new approach to measuring disability in low back pain. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 68(2), 229–235.

Nicholas, M. K., & Williams, C. M. (2003). The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire: A review of the literature. European Spine Journal, 12(3), 299–307.

Fairbank, J. C. T., & Pynsent, P. B. (2000). The Oswestry Disability Index. The Spine Journal, 25(22), 2940–2950.

Deyo, R. A., & Weinstein, J. N. (2001). Low back pain. New England Journal of Medicine, 344(5), 363–370.