N. Kumar1, P. Balaji2
1Ramaiah Medical College and Hospitals, Dept of Physiotherapy, Bengaluru, India, 2Ramaiah Medical College, Dept of Physiotherapy, Bengaluru, India
Background: One of the most significant demographic changes in our time is the rapidly expanding number of older adults in the world population. Fear of falling is the most common problem encountered by the elderly. Timed up and Go test is the most common outcome measure to assess the risk of falls in the elderly. Instrument TUG (iTUG)was developed to measure the components of TUG as TUG gives only total duration. However, there is no literature on the different components of TUG across different age categories of the elderly population.
Purpose: Knowledge of the TUG components helps in prescribing a tailor-made exercise regimen for the elderly across the age groups. This study was conducted with the primary objective to assess the components of TUG performance using iTUG (video) in those who have exceeded normal TUG scores for their age groups and a secondary objective to compare the components of TUG among exceeded TUG elderly vs. age-matched normal elderly across the 3 groups. (Young old, middle old & old old).
Methods: 126 participants were recruited based on the inclusion criteria. The video recording of participants performing TUG was done under standardized conditions. Components of TUG across the three age groups in the elderly with normal and exceeded TUG scores were analyzed using an independent t-test. Comparison of the components of TUG among frail elderly vs. age and sex-matched normal elderly across the three groups was analyzed 3-way mixed method ANOVA using General Linear Model-Repeated Measures was used to check the interaction between the dependent variable (TUG Components) and 2 independent variables (Age category and TUG Performance).
Results: Participants showed statistically significant value for sit to stand (p<0.001), walk (p<0.05), turn (p<0.05), walk back (p<0.001), and stand to sit (p<0.001) across the 3 age groups. Sit to stand and stand to sit timings is increased in 80 years and above individuals. Walking time is increased in 70-79 years and 80 years & above individuals as compared to 60-69 years. Turning component is different across all age groups, 60-69 years < 70-79 years < 80 & above years.
Conclusion(s): The components of TUG in the elderly with normal and exceeded TUG scores are different across the three age groups. The use of iTUG can be used as a low resource tool for assessment across different age groups of the elderly.
Implications: This method can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify the movement disorders while performing iTUG and identifying the missing component which can be co-related with ADL.
Funding, acknowledgements: non-funded study
Keywords: Elderly, Geriatric Assessment, Timed Up and Go Test
Topic: Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Ramaiah Medical College
Committee: Ethical Committee, Medical Educational Unit (MEU)
Ethics number: MPT/EC/428/2017
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
