This resource was developed by bpac
nz
for the Health Quality & Safety Commission based on the STEADI falls campaign by the US Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC).
ASSESS
Patient name: Date: Time: AM/PM
NHI: Test carried out by:
The Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test
Overview: The Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test, in conjunction with other measures such as the Four-Stage
Balance Test, 30 Second Chair Stand Test and an assessment of postural hypotension can help to
indicate if a patient is at risk of falling. It is recommended that the TUG test is not used in isolation
to predict risk of falls.
1
Purpose: To assess mobility
Equipment: A stopwatch/timer, tape measure
Directions: The patient may wear their regular footwear and can use a walking aid if this is usually required.
Seat the patient in an arm chair and mark a line three metres away on the oor, e.g. with masking
tape.
Do not conduct the TUG test if you feel the patient may fall during the test.
Instructions to the patient:
When I say “Go”, I want you to:
1. Stand up from the chair
2. Walk to the line on the oor at your normal pace
3. Turn
4. Walk back to the chair at your normal pace
5. Sit down again
On the word “Go” begin timing.
Stop timing after patient has sat back down and record their time below:
Time: seconds
Patients aged 65 years and older who take ≥ 12 seconds to complete the TUG are at risk of falling.
Observe the patient’s postural stability, gait, stride length and sway. Look in particular for:
Slow tentative pace
Loss of balance
Short strides
Little or no arm swing
Steadying self on walls
Shuing
En bloc turning*
Not using assistive devices properly
Notes:
* Turning the head, trunk and pelvis as one unit rather than turning the body parts in a top-down sequence, as is usual.
1. Barry E, Galvin R, Keogh C, Horgan F, Fahey T. Is the Timed Up and Go test a useful predictor of risk of falls in community dwelling older adults: a
systematic review and meta- analysis. BMC Geriatrics 2014; 14(1): 14
