Development and reproducibility of a short questionnaire to measure use and usability of custom-made orthopaedic shoes

Objective:To develop it short and easy to use questionnaire to measure use and usability of custom-made orthopaedic shoes, and to investigate its reproducibility.

Design: Development of the questionnaire (Monitor Orthopaedic Shoes) was based on a literature search. expert interviews. 2 expert meetings, and exploration and testing of reproducibility. The questionnaire comprises 2 parts: a pre part. measuring expectations; and a post part., measuring experiences.

Patients: The pre part of the final version was completed twice by 37 first-time users before delivery of their orthopaedic shoes. The post part of the final version was completed twice by 39 first-time users who had worn their orthopaedic shoes for 2-4, months.

Results: High reproducibility scores (Cohen's kappa >0.60 or intra class correlation >0.70) were found in all but one question of both parts of the final version of the Monitor Orthopaedic Shoes questionnaire. The smallest real difference on a visual analogue scale (100 turn) ranged front 21 to 50 mm. It took patients approximately 15 min to complete one Part.

Conclusion: Monitor Orthopaedic Shoes is a practical and reproducible questionnaire that can measure relevant aspects of use and usability of orthopaedic shoes from it patients perspective.