Exploration of the Golf-Specific Low Back Pain Questionnaire

Abstract

Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to determine internal consistency and concurrent validity of the Golf-specific Low Back Pain questionnaire (GLBP). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Online questionnaire. Participants: Fifty-two adult golfers with a history of LBP. Interventions: GLBP, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Main Outcome Measures: Cronbach alpha values for the GLBP and its 3 subscales. Pearson correlations between the ODI, GLBP, and the GLBP subscales. Results: Cronbach alpha for the GLBP was 0.94. Cronbach alpha for the 3 GLBP subscales ranged from 0.85 to 0.91. All Pearson correlations were significant at P < 0.05. The correlation between the ODI and GLBP was −0.64, and correlations between the ODI and GLBP subscales ranged from −0.53 to −0.63. Mean GLBP score was 72.01% ± 16.15%, and mean ODI score was 12.00% ± 7.98%. Conclusions: The GLBP has excellent concurrent validity to quantify LBP in golfers. The GLBP total and each individual subscale have excellent internal consistency and a moderate inverse relationship with the ODI. The GLBP offers a more sport-specific patient-reported outcome measure for this population. The GLBP may more adequately quantify LBP-related disability, especially at lower levels of disability. Findings provide initial evidence that the GLBP may be a valid tool to quantify LBP symptoms and dysfunction in golfers. Clinical Relevance: Clinicians should consider using sport-specific outcome measures when evaluating for LBP-related disability.