- Rheumatology
WOMAC® score
Pain and function in osteoarthritis
The WOMAC® is a widely used patient questionnaire to measure the impact of hip or knee osteoarthritis. It explores three complementary dimensions: pain, stiffness, and physical function. Several response formats exist — Likert, visual analogue scale, or numerical rating scale — and they must not be mixed within the same follow-up.
- Number of questions
- 24 items
- Approximate duration
- 5 to 10 minutes
- Population
- hip or knee osteoarthritis, depending on the version and usage
- Modality
- patient self-assessment questionnaire
Terms of contract
Self-administered questionnaire completed by the patient for the studied joint (hip or knee), over the reference period defined by the version, for example the last 48 hours for version LK3.0. Only one answer per question. Keep the same format (Likert, VAS, or NRS) and the same licensed version throughout follow-up.
Score interpretationWOMAC®
For a 0–4 Likert version, the subscores are: pain 0–20, stiffness 0–8, function 0–68, total 0–96. A higher score indicates more symptoms or limitations; the NRS/VAS versions have different ranges.
Total score
First reading
No universal category: analyze the subdomains and the change from the baseline level.
Do not arbitrarily convert a Likert WOMAC to an NRS WOMAC. During follow-up, analyze the subdomains and the change from baseline rather than a universal category.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and references
Nicholas Bellamy / WOMAC®
Bellamy N et al., J Rheumatol, 1988
Questionnaires and associated scores
Integrate questionnaires into your practice
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