Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test

A quick assessment for predicting fall risk and comparing functional capacity.

Test Setup & Instructions

To perform you’ll need:

  • A stopwatch
  • A chair with arms
  • A visual target (e.g. a line drawn or taped on the floor)
  • An area where a patient can walk at least 10 feet

Patients can use assistive devices if they do so normally, and should use their normal footwear.

Instructions to the patient:

When I say “Go,” I want you to stand up from the chair, walk to the line (or other visual target positioned 3 meters or 10 feet away from the chair) on the floor at your normal pace, turn, walk back to the chair at your normal pace, and sit down again.

TUG Test Scoring

Cutoff: 12 seconds is used as a cutoff for predicting fall risk. But TUG may be more useful comparing changes in a patient’s functional capacity between visits.

Result

Fall Risk Classification:

Considerations

Guard the patient as you would while performing any other functional test, consider scoring multiple trials, document equipment used and any other information which would facilitate repeat testing at a later appointment (device, footwear, guarding) and observe for gait abnormalities which may include:

  • Slow, tentative pace
  • Delayed initiation
  • Impaired foot clearance
  • Shuffling
  • Balance loss
  • Deviation from a straight path
  • Reduced stride length
  • Reduced arm swing
  • Reaching for support
  • En-bloc turning
  • Inappropriate use of assistive device
Reference Value meta analysis
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