• Pierre Allou dʼHemecourt, David Zurakowski, Charles Allou dʼHemecourt, Christine Curtis, Valerie Ugrinow, Laura Deriu, and Lyle Joseph Micheli.
• Division of Sports Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, 319 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. pierre.dhemecourt@childrens.harvard.edu
• Clin J Sport Med. 2012 May 1; 22 (3): 244-8.

ObjectiveTo validate a back-specific instrument for functional assessment in the young athlete for clinical and research purposes, the Micheli Functional Scale (MFS).DesignProspective cohort study, Diagnostic Level II.SettingDivision of Sports Medicine Clinic, Children's Hospital Boston.ParticipantsMale and female patients aged 12 to 22 with and without low back pain.InterventionsPatients presenting with back pain were compared with a control group of patients presenting with complaints other than back pain. Both groups were given the modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) and MFS.Main Outcome MeasuresMicheli Functional Scale and ODQ score correlations.ResultsA total of 94 patients were enrolled (44 patients with low back pain and 50 patients without low back pain). Ages ranged from 12 to 22 for both groups, with no differences in age (P = 0.07) or gender (P = 0.50). Patients with back pain had significantly higher ODQ scores (median, 32 points) and MFS scores (median, 47 points) compared with controls (median, 0 points; P < 0.0001). These results held for male and female patients and younger (12-16.99 years) and older (17-22 years) age groups. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed a high positive correlation between MFS scores and ODQ scores (Pearson r = 0.90, P < 0.0001). Cronbach level indicated excellent item reliability on the MFS (α = 0.904, P < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe MFS is a valid instrument for assessing pain and functional levels in the young athlete. This scale considers pain, athletic function, and athletic disability.

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