What does the WOMAC score measure?

WOMAC measures three dimensions of osteoarthritis: pain (5 items, 0–20 raw), stiffness (2 items, 0–8 raw), and physical function (17 items, 0–68 raw). Each subscale and the total are normalized to 0–100 where 0 = no symptoms and 100 = worst possible symptoms.

Is WOMAC used for both knee and hip OA?

Yes. The original WOMAC index was validated for both knee and hip osteoarthritis. The same 24 questions apply to either joint; the clinician specifies which joint is being assessed.

What rating scale does WOMAC use?

The Likert version uses a 5-point scale: None (0), Mild (1), Moderate (2), Severe (3), Extreme (4). A visual analog scale (VAS) version also exists, but the Likert version is more commonly used in clinical practice.

What is a clinically significant change in WOMAC?

A minimum clinically important difference (MCID) of approximately 8–10 points on the 0–100 normalized scale is generally accepted as meaningful for individual patients. Group-level MCIDs used in trials are often 9–15 points.

How long does a WOMAC assessment take?

Self-completion typically takes 5–10 minutes. It can be administered as a paper questionnaire, verbally by a clinician, or via a digital tool like this one.

WOMAC Score Calculator

Name: WOMAC Score Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Rate 24 WOMAC questions across pain, stiffness, and physical function to get subscale and total OA severity scores.

Joint Being Assessed

Knee Hip

Pain (5 items)

How much pain do you have in your knee/hip when…

Stiffness (2 items)

How severe is your stiffness…

Physical Function (17 items)

How much difficulty do you have with…

WOMAC Score

Answer all questions to see results.

Summary

Rate 24 WOMAC questions across pain, stiffness, and physical function to get subscale and total OA severity scores.

How it works

Select the joint being assessed: knee or hip.
Rate each pain question from None to Extreme (0–4).
Rate each stiffness question from None to Extreme (0–4).
Rate each physical function question from None to Extreme (0–4).
Click Calculate to see subscale scores and the total WOMAC score on a 0–100 scale.
Use the Reset button to start a new assessment.

Use cases

Clinicians tracking osteoarthritis severity before and after treatment.
Researchers collecting standardized OA outcome data.
Physical therapists monitoring patient rehabilitation progress.
Patients wanting to quantify their joint symptoms over time.
Pre-operative and post-operative functional assessment for joint replacement.
Clinical trial screening and endpoint measurement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu