Italian translation of the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire, with re-assessment of reliability and validity

PURPOSE: To cross-culturally adapt and validate the Italian version of the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ) in patients affected by hallux valgus. METHODS: The MOXFQ was translated into Italian and culturally adapted following the forward and backward translation method. A sample of 172 patients with hallux valgus was asked to fill in the MOXFQ and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Two-week retest was performed on a random sub-sample of 40 patients. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. Construct validity was assessed with the use of Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, using a priori hypothesized correlations with SF-36 domains. RESULTS: The internal consistency reliability was acceptable for all MOXFQ domains (Pain, Walking/standing and Social interaction) with Cronbachs' alpha coefficients ranging from 0.72 to 0.83. The assessment of test-retest reliability reveals satisfactory values with ICCs ranging from 0.85 to 0.92. Construct validity was supported by the presence of all the hypothesized correlation, with the exception of Italian Walking/standing domain with the SF-36 Role-Physical domain (rho = -0.29). CONCLUSIONS: The Italian version of MOXFQ is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluating foot pain and functional status in patients affected by hallux valgus.