A new functional outcome assessment tool for military musculoskeletal rehabilitation: a pilot validation study

Abstract

Objective: To examine the construct and concurrent validity of a new occupational military outcome measure (the Functional Activity Assessment [FAA]).

Design: A validation study.

Setting: British Defence rehabilitation facilities.

Participants: A total of 141 service personnel who attended a musculoskeletal injury assessment clinic.

Methodology: The association among the Short Form 36 (SF-36), Physical Workload Questionnaire, and the FAA was examined. Agreement and correlation with an actual medical category also was examined.

Main outcome measures: FAA, SF-36 and Physical Workload Questionnaire scores.

Results: The FAA was significantly correlated with heavy physical workload and all SF-36 subscale and component scores, in line with predictions. The regression model retained 3 variables that accounted for 49% of the variation in FAA, most of which was accounted for by the role-physical subscale score of the SF-36. The FAA was well correlated with actual medical category.

Conclusions: The FAA is a valid measure of physical health in relation to physical workload.