The timed up & go test: its reliability and association with lower-limb impairments and locomotor capacities in people with chronic stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To examine test-retest reliability of the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test, its ability to differentiate subjects with chronic stroke from healthy elderly subjects, and its associations with ankle plantarflexor spasticity, ankle muscle strength, gait performance, and distance walked in 6 minutes in subjects with chronic stroke.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
University-based rehabilitation center in Hong Kong, China.


METHODS
Ten healthy elderly subjects and 11 subjects with chronic stroke.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Time taken to complete the TUG test was recorded. Plantarflexor spasticity and ankle muscle strength were assessed, respectively, by the Composite Spasticity Scale and a load-cell together with electromyography. Gait parameters and walking endurance were measured respectively by walkway system (GAITRite II) and 6-minute walk test. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated as measures of reliability, and all correlation analyses were conducted using Spearman correlation coefficients.


RESULTS
The TUG test showed excellent reliability (ICC>.95). Subjects with chronic stroke had significantly more spastic and weaker plantarflexors, slower walking speeds, and poorer walking endurance when compared with healthy elderly subjects (all P<.003). The strength of the affected ankle plantarflexors (rho=-.860, P<.01), gait parameters (rho range, .620-.900; P<.05), and walking endurance (rho=-.960, P<.01) correlated with TUG scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The TUG scores were reliable, were able to differentiate the patients from the healthy elderly subjects, and correlated well with plantarflexor strength, gait performance, and walking endurance in subjects with chronic stroke.
Ng
Shamay S
SS
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China.
Hui-Chan
Christina W
CW
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D019415:Torque