Validation of the Timed Up and Go Test for Assessing Balance Variables in Adults Aged 65 and Older.

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an easy to administer clinical test to evaluate a senior citizen's fall risk. Limited evidence has been presented in the literature validating the TUG test. In this study, the authors sought to assess correlations between the TUG test and various balance markers utilizing the OptoGait system. A total of 51 healthy seniors completed randomized trials of the TUG test and a gait test utilizing OptoGait photoelectric technology. Correlations among mean and SD values for these variables and TUG performance were calculated. Utilizing a Bonferroni adjustment and an alpha level of .05, eight significant correlations of a moderately strong degree (absolute r scores between .51 and .78) emerged. Correlation results indicate that the TUG test is a valid tool for screening balance deficits that lead to increased fall risk in senior citizens.