Dawson et al developed a 12-item questionnaire for evaluating a patient before and after total knee replacement. This is a simple instrument that is easy for patients to complete yet provides important insights to the effectiveness of the surgery. The authors are from the University of Oxford, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, England.
Interval covered: past 4 weeks
Pain in knee:
(1) usual level
(2) when standing up from a chair (after a meal)
(3) in bed at night
(4) distance walked before severe pain develops (with or without a stick)
Response to #1 |
Points |
none |
1 |
very mild |
2 |
mild |
3 |
moderate |
4 |
severe |
5 |
Response to #2 |
Points |
none |
1 |
slight |
2 |
moderate |
3 |
very (severe) |
4 |
unbearable |
5 |
Response to #3 |
Points |
none |
1 |
1 or 2 nights (past month) |
2 |
some nights |
3 |
most nights |
4 |
every night |
5 |
Response to #4 |
Points |
none, or > 30 minutes |
1 |
16-30 minutes |
2 |
5-15 minutes |
3 |
can get around the house only |
4 |
not at all (any walking) |
5 |
Difficulty in performing certain actions:
(1) kneeling down and getting up again
(2) household shopping on own
(3) walking down a flight of stairs
Response |
Points |
none (easy) |
1 |
a little |
2 |
moderate |
3 |
extreme |
4 |
impossible |
5 |
Trouble in performing certain actions:
(1) washing and drying self all over (ability to bathe self)
(2) getting into or out of a car, or using public transportation
(3) usual work (include housework)
Response to #1 and 2 |
Points |
none |
1 |
very little |
2 |
moderate |
3 |
extreme |
4 |
impossible to do |
5 |
Response to #3 |
Points |
none |
1 |
a little bit |
2 |
moderately |
3 |
greatly |
4 |
totally |
5 |
Frequency of events
(1) knee giving way
(2) limping because of knee
Response |
Points |
never or rarely |
1 |
sometimes or just at first |
2 |
often, not just at first |
3 |
most of the time |
4 |
all of the time |
5 |
total score =
= SUM(points for all 12 items)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 12
• maximum score: 60
• The higher the score the more severe the functional status of the knee.
percent normal function =
= (60 - (total score)) / 48 * 100%
Purpose: To evaluate the knee of a patient before or after a total knee replacement using the 12-item questionnaire of Dawson et al (Oxford knee status).
Specialty: Surgery, orthopedic
Objective: disease progression, disability and performance, quality of life, surgery
ICD-10: L40.5, M05, M06, M07, M17,