Translation and validation of the Danish Foot Function
Index (FFI-DK)
J. E. Jorgensen
1
, J. Andreasen
2
, M. S. Rathleff
2
1
Private Practice Clinic, Dronninglund, Denmark,
2
Department of Occupational and Physiotherapy, Aalborg University Hospital,
Aalborg, Denmark
Corresponding author: Jens Erik Jorgensen, MScPT, Klinik for Fysioterapi, Roerholtvej 3A, Dronninglund 9330, Denmark. Tel: +45
30 23 95 85, +45 98 84 28 00, Fax: +45 98 84 44 13, E-mail: jeja26@gmail.com
Accepted for publication 30 August 2014
The objective of this study was to translate the Foot Func-
tion Index (FFI) for use in Danish-speaking patients with
foot complaints. The FFI consists of 23 items scored on a
numeric rating scale from 0 to 10. The 23 items are
grouped into three subscales: pain (nine items), activity
limitation (five items), and disability (nine items). The
Danish FFI was developed according to the recommended
forward/backward translation protocol. The data analy-
sis included reliability [intraclass correlation coefficient
(ICC) 2.1] and internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha).
Excellent internal consistency was shown for the three
subscales: pain (0.99), disability (0.98), and activity limi-
tation (0.98), as for the total score (0.97). The test-retest
reliability was excellent: pain subscale: ICC 0.98 [95%
confidence interval (CI): 0.97–0.99]; activity limitation
subscale: ICC: 0.95 (95% CI: 0.91–0.98); disability
subscale: ICC 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95–0.98); total score: ICC:
0.95 (95% CI: 0.91 to 0.98). The mean difference between
test and retest was below 1 point and P > 0.08. Bland–
Altman plots showed no significant or clinically relevant
differences from test to retest in any of the subscales or in
the total score. The Danish version of the FFI was found
to be valid and reliable and therefore acceptable for use in
the Danish population.
Approximately 25% of the adult population will, at any
given time, report foot pain (Hawke & Burns, 2009;
Mølgaard et al., 2010) and almost 10% of adolescents
between 12 and 19 years of age report having foot pain
(Rathleff et al., 2013). Thirty-three percent of athletes
sustain a foot or ankle injury each year with the highest
incidence in ballet and running (Sobhani et al., 2013).
Almost 40% of runners will sustain a foot-related injury
each year with 8% relating to fascia plantaris (van Gent
et al., 2007; Hespanhol Junior et al., 2013). Among all
foot-related injuries, plantar fasciitis is one of the most
common foot conditions and has a lifetime prevalence of
10% (Kindred et al., 2011). Collectively, this highlights
that foot pain is prevalent in both the general population
and among those involved in sports.
Foot pain can be very disabling and underlines the need
of having an instrument capable of measuring the condi-
tion and evaluating the effect of treatment (Haywood,
2006, 2007). A systematic review by Hunt and Hurwit
(2013) showed the FFI to be the fifth most used patient-
reported outcome measure within the orthopedic literature
on foot and ankle research. It was originally developed for
foot complaints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
but is also valid and reliable in other foot conditions such
as plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial tendinitis, and ankle
instability (Bal et al., 2006; Grondal et al., 2006; SooHoo
et al., 2006; Budiman-Mak et al., 2013).
The FFI consist of 23 items grouped into three
subscales: pain (nine items), activity limitation (five
items), and disability (nine items). The FFI aligns with
the intentions of the International Classification of
Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF, 2010). The
FFI has been translated into several languages
(Kuyvenhoven et al., 2002; Naal et al., 2008; Wu et al.,
2008; Martinelli et al., 2014; Paez-Moguer et al., 2014)
and has been revised in several versions over the years
(Naal et al., 2010). The FFI has been found to be a
feasible instrument, easily calculated, easy to use
across sectors and practitioners, and requires less than
10 min to answer (Lau et al., 2005; Naal et al., 2010;
Budiman-Mak et al., 2013). However, the FFI does not
exist in Danish. The aim of the study was therefore to
translate and undertake a cross-cultural adaptation of
the FFI to a Danish context including a face validation
by cognitive interviewing.
Methods
Ethical approval
The study was approved by The Danish Data Protection Agency
(j.nr 2009-41-4040). The ethics committee in the region of North
Jutland, Denmark, stated that no approval was necessary as the
study included no intervention (j.nr N-20090051). Informed oral
consent was obtained from all participants in the study. The study
was in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
Scand J Med Sci Sports 2015: 25: e408–e413
doi: 10.1111/sms.12331
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
e408