Return to activity is a multi-faceted variable, not a discrete yes-no

Objectives: To develop a patient-reported outcome that allows for tracking of return to activity after injury. By acknowledging that return to activity is not a discrete Yes/No question where participants return to their baseline activity may be unrelated to their treatment a more comprehensive understanding and measurement of the outcome of treatment after injury as it relates to activity participation was developed and evaluated. Methods: Item development and evaluation were undertaken with the final version tested in an ongoing observational clinical trial. Descriptive statistics and test-re-test analysis using intra-class correlation and percent agreement were used. Results: A 5-item set of questions was identified that assess return to activity from a multi-faceted perspective. The final 5 items record preferred activity, days and hours per week of participation, impact of change in participation in activity, degree of limitation in participation and if it is related to injury or external factors. Over 30% of the population reported that their participation in their preferred activity was no longer active and not related to their injury but other factors demonstrating the importance of documenting more than one variable. Conclusion: The Minnesota Activity Scale provides standardized questions to comprehensively assess return to activity as a marker of treatment effectiveness. Level of evidence: V.