Reliability and validity of the Hebrew version of the forgotten joint score for assessing the outcomes of total knee arthroplasty

Background This prospective study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Hebrew version of the forgotten joint score-12 in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, because it is going to be used in the Hebrew-speaking populations in Israel. Methods The English version of forgotten joint score-12 was translated into Hebrew version by using the standard procedures and in collaboration with its authors. The consecutive patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty in a single hospital were asked to fill out the Hebrew version of forgotten joint score-12, Oxford knee score, Short Form 12, and visual analog scale. A random subgroup of 60 patients were then asked to fill out a second Hebrew version of forgotten joint score-12 at a minimum of 2-week interval. The reliability was assessed in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability and split-half reliability. The validity was measured in terms of the outcomes as mentioned above. Results A total of 102 patients participated in the study. The Hebrew version of forgotten joint score-12 showed high reliability. The internal consistency was excellent (Cronbachs’ α = 0.943) and test-retest reliability was high (Intraclass correlation = 0.97). The forgotten joint scores were correlated with the Oxford knee score, Short Form 12, and visual analog scale (r = 0.86, r = 0.72, and r=-0.8, respectively), indicating a high validity. Conclusions The Hebrew version of forgotten joint score-12 has excellent reliability, excellent test-retest reliability and good validity. It can be safely used for assessing outcomes of TKA.