Review Article

Timed Up and Go Test in Musculoskeletal Conditions

Ioanna Fevranoglou¹, Christos Zafeiris²

1. Postgraduate Program “Metabolic Bones Diseases”, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece
2. Laboratory for Research of the Musculoskeletal System “Th. Garofalidis”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, General Hospital of Athens KAT, Greece

---

Keywords: Balance, Injury, Gait, Risk of falls, TUG

---

Abstract

This paper discusses the wide use of the Timed Up and Go test and its variations by physicians and rehabilitation specialists around the world, in order to assess motor skills, balance, strength and gait speed of patients with orthopedic conditions, which vary from osteoporosis to amputation. Its very few limitations, linked mainly with the cognitive level of the patients, its simple performance and its being a positive predictor for falls, render it the tool of choice for medical practitioners in rehabilitation. Predicting risk of falls is its greatest asset, as a person’s difficulty in mobilization can lead to serious injuries, mainly owing to falls, and subsequent reduced quality of life.

---