Physiotherapy lacks valid and useful measures to assess outcome of treatment interventions. Body charts are used widely by physiotherapists for the assessment of pain in patients. The aim of this thesis was to validate the use of a scored body chart as an outcome measure in Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). 69 AS patients (Modified New York criteria) were assessed three monthly by a single observer for one year. Mean age was 42.4 years (range 21-74, M:F 4:1), median duration of disease, 5 years, and symptoms, 15 years. Patients shaded a body chart to show their areas of pain, and scored each individual area of pain as; 1=mild, 2=moderate, 3=severe or 4=very severe. The body chart score is the sum of the individual pain intensity scores. Disability questions and visual analogue scales (VAS) for pain and stiffness were completed. Objective measures of tenderness (enthesitis) and movement were recorded. Results were analysed using the Number Cruncher Statistical System. The median body chart score at visit one was 12 (range 0-63, 25%tile=8, 75%tile=21). At the first visit, statistically significant correlations (Spearman's) were found between the body chart and VAS present pain (r=0.318, p<0.008), VAS stiffness (r=0.535, p