Neck Disability Index

Stiff Neck

Neck Exercises

Neck Disability Index

NOTE: This questionnaire is designed to help understand how much your neck pain has affected your ability to manage everyday activities. Please answer each section by checking the ONE CHOICE that most applies to you. You may feel that more than one statement may related to you, but PLEASE JUST CHECK THE ONE CHOICE THAT MOST CLOSELY DESCRIBES YOUR PROBLEM RIGHT NOW..

After answering ALL of the items click on the 'Score' button. A new window will open with the Neck Disability Index Score and Interpretation.

SECTION 1--Pain Intensity

I have no pain at the moment
The pain is mild at the moment
The pain comes and goes and is moderate
The pain is moderate and does not vary much
The pain is severe but comes and goes
The pain is severe and does not vary much

SECTION 2 -- Personal Care (Washing, Dressing, etc.)

I can look after myself without causing extra pain
I can look after myself normally but it causes extra pain
It is painful to look after myself and I am slow and careful
I need some help, but manage most of my personal care
I need help every day in most aspects of self-care
I do not get dressed; I wash with difficulty and stay in bed

SECTION 3 -- Lifting

I can lift heavy weights without extra pain
I can lift heavy weights, but it causes extra pain
Pain prevents me from lifting heavy weights off the floor but I can if they are conveniently positioned, for example on a table
Pain prevents me from lifting heavy weights, but I can manage light to medium weights if they are conveniently positioned
I can lift very light weights
I cannot lift or carry anything at all

SECTION 4 -- Reading

I can read as much as I want to with no pain in my neck
I can read as much as I want with slight pain in my neck
I can read as much as I want with moderate pain in my neck
I cannot read as much as I want because of moderate pain in my neck
I cannot read as much as I want because of severe pain in my neck
I cannot read at all

SECTION 5 -- Headache

I have no headaches at all
I have slight headaches which come infrequently
I have moderate headaches which come infrequently
I have moderate headaches which come frequently
I have severe headaches which come frequently
I have headaches almost all the time

SECTION 6 -- Concentration

I can concentrate fully when I want to with no difficulty
I can concentrate fully when I want to with slight difficulty
I have a fair degree of difficulty in concentrating when I want to
I have a lot of difficulty in concentrating when I want to
I have a great deal of difficulty in concentrating when I want to
I cannot concentrate at all

SECTION 7 -- Work

I can do as much work as I want to
I can only do my usual work, but no more
I can do most of my usual work, but no more
I cannot do my usual work
I can hardly do any work at all
I cannot do any work at all

SECTION 8 -- Driving

I can drive my car without neck pain
I can drive my car as long as I want with slight pain in my neck
I can drive my car as long as I want with moderate pain in my neck
I cannot drive my car as long as I want because of moderate pain in my neck
I can hardly drive my car at all because of severe pain in my neck
I cannot drive my car at all

SECTION 9 -- Sleeping

I have no trouble sleeping
My sleep is slightly disturbed (less than 1 hour sleepless)
My sleep is mildly disturbed (1-2 hours sleepless)
My sleep is moderately disturbed (2-3 hours sleepless)
My sleep is greatly disturbed (3-5 hours sleepless)
My sleep is completely disturbed (5-7 hours sleepless)

SECTION 10 -- Recreation

I am able to engage in all recreational activities with no pain in my neck at all
I am able to engage in all recreational activities with some pain in my neck
I am able to engage in most, but not all recreational activities because of pain in my neck
I am able to engage in a few of my usual recreational activities because of pain in my neck
I can hardly do any recreational activities because of pain in my neck
I cannot do any recreational activities all

The Neck Disability Index was developed in 1989 by Howard Vernon. The Index was developed as a modification of the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index with the permission of the original author (J. Fairbank, 1980). In 1991, Vernon and Minor published the results of a study of reliability and validity in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics. Since then, many articles have appeared in the indexed literature on the Neck Disability Index. All of these studies have confirmed the original reports of a high level of reliability and validity. The minimum detectable score and the minimal clinically important difference amounts to the same figure - 5 Neck Disability Index points.

The Neck Disability Index has become a standard instrument for measuring self-rated disability due to neck pain and is used by clinicians and researchers alike.

Each of the 10 items is scored from 0 - 5. The maximum score is therefore 50. The obtained score can be multiplied by 2 to produce a percentage score.

The original report provided raw scoring intervals for interpretation, as follows:

0 - 4 = no disability

5 - 14 = mild disability

15 - 24 = moderate disability

25 - 34 = severe disability

above 34 = complete disability.

It is recommended that the Neck Disability Index be used at baseline and for every 2 weeks thereafter within the treatment program to measure progress. As noted above, at least a 5-point change is required to be clinically meaningful. Patients often do not score the items as zero, once they are in treatment. In other words, it is common to find that patients will continue to score between 5 - 15 despite having made excellent recovery (i.e., they may be back to work). The practitioner should avoid the trap of "treating till zero", as this is not supportable based on current evidence.

A printable pdf version of the Neck Disability Index