OBJECTIVES: This review identifies instruments for measuring functional status among workers with mild-to-moderate disorders of the upper extremity. Functional status measures correlate pain and discomfort to performance, with direct, practical relevance to employers and workers. While many functional status measures exist for patients with severe or degenerative illness, few measures were designed for relatively healthy active workers. In fact, the impact of mild-to-moderate disorders on the workforce is largely unknown. The recently released OSHA Ergonomics Program Standard has given this issue a new sense of urgency. The intent is to give investigators a tool for choosing appropriate functional status measures in a specific research or clinical context. METHODS: To identify self-reported functional status instruments for upper extremity disorders among workers, a Medline literature search was conducted for English-language publications between the years 1966 and 2000. Keywords included: carpal tunnel syndrome, functional status, health surveys, musculoskeletal, occupational health, outcome measures, questionnaire, neck, upper extremity, and worker. In selecting functional status instruments for review, three criteria were used: 1) Relevance to neck and upper extremity conditions (indicated by question content); 2) Assessment among workers; and 3) Relevance to mild-to-moderate disorders (indicated by level of severity). Parameters of interest were validity, reliability, and responsiveness to change. RESULTS: Among 13 functional status instruments reviewed, six measures were tested among workers, including three measures relevant for mild-to-moderate disorders: the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Upper Extremity Questionnaire, and Neck and Upper Limb Instrument. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of three functional status measures should encourage their use in studies, to improve communication among investigators. Further research is needed to address neglected aspects of measurement – specifically, for mild-to-moderate upper extremity disorders among workers – and to standardize valid and reliable instruments.