Which instrument is used to assess overall health status beyond disease-specific measures?

• A. SF-36
• B. ACL-RSI
• C. Tegner
• D. LEFS

Answer: (B)

Evaluating overall health status requires a generic health-related quality-of-life measure that spans multiple domains. The SF-36 does this by assessing physical functioning, role limitations due to physical health, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health, with physical and mental component summaries. This broad approach captures the patient’s overall health impact beyond a single disease or joint problem.

In contrast, the ACL-Return to Sport after Injury scale focuses on psychological readiness to return to sport after ACL injury, which is specific to sport-related contexts rather than general health. The Tegner scale measures activity level, not overall health status. The Lower Extremity Functional Scale assesses function of the leg, which is important but still more function-specific than overall health. Hence, the SF-36 is the instrument used to gauge overall health status beyond disease-specific measures.