The Constant score is widely used as a measure of assessing outcome from surgery. The pre and post-operative Scores are usually compared to assess outcome. The expected Scores for an age-matched population however are not known.

Patients attending fracture and general orthopaedic clinics with lower limb problems only were assessed. Age, handedness, occupation and Constant Score results were recorded. The score for differing sections of the Constant score were reviewed and analysed in combination with the above parameters.

The overall Constant Score decreased with age, as one would expect. However the decrease in the strength measurement was out of all proportion to that of the remainder of the Score-79% of total strength in the under 40 year age group compared with 11.2% of total strength in the over 80 year age group. This compared with a percentage of 97.8% for the remainder of the Score in the under 40 year group compared to 70.4% in the over 80 year age group. If one is using the Constant Score as a measure of surgical outcome one should be aware of the expected age-matched figures and in particular the poor strength measurements in the older populations. We suggest that a more useful measurement would be one without strength and just score out of 75.