title: Health-related physical fitness measures: reference values and reference equations for use in clinical practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide reference values and reference equations for frequently used clinical field tests of health-related physical fitness for use in clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  General community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of volunteers (N=370) between 18 and 90 years of age were recruited from a wide range of settings (ie, work sites, schools, community centers for older adults) and different geographic locations (ie, urban, suburban, rural) in southeastern Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants conducted 5 clinical field tests (6-minute walk test, stair test, 30-second sit-to-stand test, handgrip test, fingertip-to-floor test).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the field tests showed that performance remained unchanged until approximately 50 years of age; after that, performance deteriorated with increasing age. Grip strength (79%), meters walked in 6 minutes (60%), and seconds used on the stair test (59%) could be well predicted by age, sex, height, and weight in participants ≥50 years of age, whereas the performance on all tests was less well predicted in participants <50 years of age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reference values and reference equations provided in this study may increase the applicability and interpretability of the 6-minute walk test, stair test, 30-second sit-to-stand test, handgrip test, and fingertip-to-floor test in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: a.t.tveter@medisin.uio.no.
authors.forename: Anne Therese
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Tveter
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; National Resource Center for Rehabilitation in Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Hanne
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dagfinrud
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Tuva
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moseng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Division of Surgery and Clinical Neuroscience, Orthopaedic Department, Section of Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Holm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Methods; Physical therapists; Reference values; Rehabilitation