Improvement in postoperative and nonoperative spinal patients on a self-report measure of disability: the Spinal Function Sort (SFS).

The present study was designed to evaluate the clinical utility of the Spinal Function Sort (SFS), in a group of postoperative and nonoperative low back pain patients who completed a functional restoration program. The SFS was administered to 38 spinal pain patients (16 nonoperative and 21 postoperative), before and after completing a functional restoration program. Results revealed that the SFS detected a significant improvement in Ratings of Perceived Capacity scores, and that the postoperative patients appeared to improve more than nonoperative patients. These findings demonstrate the clinical utility of the SFS as an effective assessment tool of functional capacity in both postoperative and nonoperative spinal disorder patients. It provides a time-efficient method for evaluating a patient's functional status.