Fatigue Severity Scale Calculator

The Omni fatigue severity scale calculator is a simple tool that assesses fatigue severity in various patient populations.

Conditions such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, arthritis, stroke, and fibromyalgia are often accompanied by fatigue. Fatigue involves many physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that can significantly affect one's quality of life. Hence, assessing the severity of it can be crucial for determining the appropriate treatment plan.

If you're struggling with fatigue and want to know more about the fatigue severity scale (FSS), you're in the right place. Come along to get clear answers to some of the FSS assessment-related questions, such as:

• What are the symptoms of fatigue?
• What is the FSS assessment?
• How do you score the FSS?
• What are other fatigue assessment scales? And more.

While you're here, you can also check the Epworth Sleepiness Scale calculator or Pediatric Epworth sleepiness scale to screen for excessive daytime sleepiness.

Let's start from the beginning — what are the symptoms of fatigue? The symptoms of fatigue include:

• Chronic feelings of exhaustion and tiredness;
• Lack of motivation;
• Anxiety and irritability.
• Dizziness;
• Sleep distrubances;
• Cognitive disturbances, such as memory problems, lack of focus, and concentration;
• Impaired decision-making;
• Muscle weakness and pain; and
• Slowed reflexes.

The fatigue severity scale (FSS) is a 9-item self-reported assessment tool for determining the severity of fatigue. The scale was initially developed by Dr. Lauren Krupp and colleagues (1989) to assess fatigue severity in patients with multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus; however, nowadays, it is utilized by many patient populations, including those with stroke, fibromyalgia, and arthritis. The questionnaire takes an average of eight minutes to complete and can determine fatigue severity levels.

Although you won't have to manually compute anything with the fatigue severity scale calculator, here is how the FSS scoring works.

1. Each item is evaluated on a 7-point scale (1 = strongly disagree and 7 = strongly agree).
2. The final score, which can range from 1 to 7, is determined by calculating the average (i.e., dividing the total score of all of the items by 9).

The higher the score, the more significant the adverse effects of fatigue on a person's daily functioning; most studies agree that those who score above 4 are struggling with clinically significant fatigue.

Using the fatigue severity scale calculator is quite simple. Read each statement and rate how accurately they reflect your condition during the past week.

Ultimately, the calculator will determine your FSS score, ranging from 1 to 7. As mentioned above, the higher scores indicate a more significant negative impact of fatigue on a person's functioning, and the cut-off score of 4 indicates problematic fatigue levels.

To score the fatigue severity scale, you can follow the next steps:

1. Sum the scores of the nine items.
2. Calculate the average score by dividing the number computed in step 1 by 9.
3. That's all! Your calculated score for the fatigue severity scale will range from 1 to 7.

An FSS score of 2.3 indicates that the person is not experiencing clinically significant fatigue. For instance, the study conducted by Grace and colleagues (2006) revealed that the average FSS score for healthy individuals is 2.3.

An FSS score of 4 indicates clinically significant fatigue levels. If you're suffering from fatigue, address the issue with a healthcare professional to identify appropriate strategies and interventions that can help you mitigate symptoms.

Some of the most widely used fatigue scales beside the FSS are:

• The brief fatigue inventory (BFI);
• The modified fatigue impact scale (MFIS);
• The fatigue numeric rating scale (NRS);
• The visual analog fatigue scale (VAFS); and
• The functional assessment of chronic illness therapy — fatigue (FACIT-F).