Complete all 10 sections of the NDI questionnaire to quantify the functional impact of cervical pathology.
Guidelines & Evidence
Clinical Details
Section 1
When to Use
When to Use
Patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for cervical radiculopathy and axial neck pain.
Standardized metric for comparing pre-operative baseline to post-operative (ACDF/CDR) outcomes in spine clinic.
Section 2
Literature
Development
Developed by Vernon and Mior in 1991 as a modification of the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire. It was adapted specifically to capture cervical-specific impairments like concentrating, reading, and headaches, which are not relevant to lumbar spine pathology.
Section 3
Pearls/Pitfalls
MCID (Minimal Clinically Important Difference)
A reduction in the NDI by 15% (or 7.5 raw points) is generally considered the Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID). A surgical intervention that fails to lower the score by at least this margin is considered a functional failure from the patient's perspective.
Section 4
Evidence Appraisal
Primary Reference
The Neck Disability Index: a study of reliability and validity
Vernon H et al. • J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1991;14(7):409-15
