Association Between the Average Level of Spine-related Disability, Determined by the Modified Oswestry Disability Index, and Body Mass Index in a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Clinic

John Taylor Mansfied, DO (Medstar - Georgetown University/National Rehabilitation Hospital, Washington, DC, United States); Marc P. Gruner, DO, MBA, RMSK; Nolan Gall, MD; Bryan Thomas. Murtaugh, MD; Matthew Maxwell, MD, CAQSM, FAAPMR

Meeting: AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2019

Session Information

Date: Friday, November 15, 2019

Session Title: Spine and Pain Case and Research Report

Session Time: 12:30pm-2:00pm

Location: Research Hub - Kiosk 7

Disclosures: John Taylor Mansfied, DO: Nothing to disclose

Objective: To assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and the average level of spine-related disability, determined by the Modified Oswestry Disability Index (m-ODI).

Design: Retrospective Cohort Study

Setting: Single site outpatient PM&R clinic

Participants: N = 180

Interventions: Not applicable

Main Outcome Measures: m-ODI % and BMI

Results: Statistical analysis using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient found rho (p) to be 0.09088, suggesting a positive relationship between BMI and m-ODI %. However, the probability (P) value was found to be .2253, suggesting we fail to reject the null hypothesis/the association between BMI and ODI% is not significant.

Conclusions: Mixed literature exists regarding the association between BMI and degree of both back pain and back pain-related disability. Our study demonstrated a positive, non-statistically significant relationship between BMI and m-ODI %. Although our findings suggest no association, the research team is hesitant to recognize such findings as conclusive and suggest further investigation to confirm/deny our findings.

Level of Evidence: Level III

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Mansfied JT, Gruner MP, Gall N, Murtaugh BT, Maxwell M. Association Between the Average Level of Spine-related Disability, Determined by the Modified Oswestry Disability Index, and Body Mass Index in a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Clinic [abstract]. PM R. 2019; 11(S2)(suppl 2). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/association-between-the-average-level-of-spine-related-disability-determined-by-the-modified-oswestry-disability-index-and-body-mass-index-in-a-physical-medicine-rehabilitation-clinic/. Accessed May 22, 2025.

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