Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test 🚶
Timed Up and Go (TUG) test — stopwatch, population cutoffs, gait observations, and fall-risk interpretation for older adults and specialty populations.
Overview
- The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test measures the time to stand from a chair, walk 3 metres, turn, walk back, and sit down. It is a simple screening measure for balance, sit-to-stand, and walking — and a sensitive indicator of fall risk in older adults.
- Complete a practice trial before the timed attempt. Document any walking aid used. Observe gait and postural stability during the test.
- An older adult who takes ≥12 seconds is generally considered at increased risk of falling; population-specific cutoffs vary — select the appropriate group in the tool above.
Administration
- Materials: chair with armrests, stopwatch, 3 m course marked with tape.
- Patient wears regular footwear; walking aid permitted if normally used.
- On command: stand, walk 3 m, turn, return to the chair, and sit. Stop timing when seated.
- Observe postural stability, gait, stride length, and sway. Note abnormal patterns (e.g. shuffling, en bloc turning, loss of balance) — these may indicate neurological problems requiring further evaluation.
Variants
- Standard TUG — basic timed test as described above.
- TUG Cognitive — patient counts backwards in threes from a random start while completing the TUG. More discriminative for fall risk in Parkinson's disease.
- TUG Manual — patient carries a glass of water in one hand while completing the TUG.
Reference
Timed Up and Go (TUG)
Time sit-to-stand, 3 m walk, turn, and return
Administration
- Patient wears regular footwear; walking aid permitted — document device used.
- Mark a 3 m course. Chair with armrests at the start.
- Patient seated; on command, stand, walk 3 m, turn, walk back, and sit.
- Stop timing when seated. Complete a practice trial before the timed attempt.
Stopwatch
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Use the stopwatch or enter time manually.
Stand, walk 3 m, turn, return, and sit.
Clinical observations
Educational reference only. Medical disclaimer