Works today, on this deviceNot a treatment score

Am I ready to decide?

You have been offered surgery, an injection, therapy, or “let’s wait” for a joint or back problem. Answer four yes-or-no questions, tick the options on the table, and leave with a question list for your next visit. About five minutes.

Not for today’s emergency

Get care now, not this page, if you have loss of control over urine or stool, new weakness or numbness in your buttocks, groin, thigh or leg, a fever with back pain or with severe joint pain and swelling, or severe pain after a hard fall or blow. Call 911 in an emergency. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988.

From MedlinePlus pages on acute low back pain and joint pain, checked 2026-09-29.

How this works

It runs in your browser. Nothing you pick is sent anywhere or saved. Close the tab and it is gone, so print or copy your list.
It does not rate any treatment. It helps you find what you still need to know, and gives you the words to ask for it.
The four questions are the SURE test, a published check for being stuck on a health decision. Any “no” means you are probably not ready yet.
Education, not medical advice. Your clinician knows your case.

Carrying a result file from arthritisrisk.com, jointclass.com or doesyourbackhurt.com?

Open it here. It is read on this device only, and only the area is used.

1. Where is the problem?

2. What is on the table?

Tick everything you have been offered or are thinking about.

3. What matters most to you?

Optional. Pick up to three.

Getting back to an activity I care about Avoiding surgery if I can Feeling better soon The lowest chance of complications The least time off work or caregiving What it will cost me Keeping other options open for later Having help at home while I recover

4. Four yes-or-no questions

Answer for the decision in front of you right now.

Do you feel sure about the best choice for you?

Yes No

Do you know the benefits and risks of each option?

Yes No

Are you clear about which benefits and risks matter most to you?

Yes No

Do you have enough support and advice to make a choice?

Yes No

Where to go next

Not sure what kind of joint pain it is?arthritisrisk.com sorts wear-and-tear from inflammatory patterns. Its “Download as a file” result opens here. Back pain, no plan yet?doesyourbackhurt.com is a first check for back pain, with the warning signs first. Want to practise asking?SurgeryProcess has scripted practice visits, including “not yet” and a second opinion. Already planning a knee, hip or shoulder surgery?JointClass has a before-surgery worksheet.

Sources

Légaré F, Kearing S, Clay K, et al. Are you SURE? Assessing patient decisional conflict with a 4-item screening test. Can Fam Physician 2010;56(8):e308–e314. Full text. Checked 2026-09-29.
Shepherd HL, Barratt A, Trevena LJ, et al. Three questions that patients can ask to improve the quality of information physicians give about treatment options: a cross-over trial. Patient Educ Couns 2011;84(3):379–385. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2011.07.022. Checked 2026-09-29.
Consumer Reports and Choosing Wisely. 5 Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before You Get Any Test, Treatment, or Procedure (2016). Checked 2026-09-29.
Want to go further on your own? The Ottawa Personal Decision Guide is a two-page worksheet for any health decision. Checked 2026-09-29.

The per-option questions (“About surgery”, “About an injection”, and so on) were written for this page. They are prompts for a conversation, not medical facts.