Outcomes Instruments and Information

The AAOS has been involved in the development and dissemination of musculoskeletal outcomes instruments since the mid-1990s. The AAOS instruments were originally designed to collect patient-based data for use in clinical practices to assess the effectiveness of treatment regimens and in musculoskeletal research settings to study the clinical outcomes of treatment.

You may access information on the DASH, IKDC/sports knee, Spine instruments and the SMFA (Short Form Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment), developed by the AAOS, orthopaedic specialty societies, and related organizations.

We are pleased to offer the Lower Limb and PODCI/POSNA (pediatric) instruments, developed by the AAOS in collaboration with orthopaedic specialty societies, on this web site for use by individuals and organizations without copyright restrictions or registration. There is also background, scoring, and reliability / validity information available regarding these instruments.

The AAOS, in making these instruments, scoring documentation, liability/reliability documentation, and normative scores available, provides no warranty for their use nor offers support to assist users in understanding or implementing these instruments in their outcomes data collection efforts. Reference to these instruments should be noted as found in their title page. Access and use of this web site and the materials offered falls under the AAOS Terms, Conditions and Disclaimers Agreement as defined. Furthermore, the AAOS offers these instruments for use only in the format provided in the documents. Modifications to items (including word changes or elimination of any items from the instrument), scoring, or any other changes in the data collection process invalidates the instrument, and any such modifications as may be used create a new instrument that bears no relationship with the original published AAOS instruments.