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Predicting 3-year incident mobility disability in middle-aged and older adults using physical performance tests
Nandini Deshpande1, E Jeffrey Metter, Jack Guralnik
1School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada. nandinijd@yahoo.com
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|November 21, 2012
Summary
A simple physical performance test, the 5 times sit-to-stand (5TSTS) test, can predict future mobility disability in older adults. Completing the 5TSTS in under 13.7 seconds is a key indicator for monitoring and intervention.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine
- Epidemiology of Aging
- Physical Performance Measurement
Background:
- Mobility disability is a significant concern for aging populations, impacting independence and quality of life.
- Identifying reliable predictors of incident mobility disability is crucial for timely intervention.
- Current predictive models often rely on demographic factors, necessitating exploration of objective physical performance measures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify a standard physical performance test that can predict 3-year incident mobility disability.
- To determine if physical performance tests predict mobility disability independently of demographic factors.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal cohort study involving 622 community-living middle-aged and older adults (50-85 years) without baseline mobility disability.
- Physical performance was assessed using usual gait speed, the 5 times sit-to-stand (5TSTS) test, and a 400-m brisk walk.
- Mobility disability at 3-year follow-up was ascertained by self-report of inability to walk a quarter mile or climb stairs.
Main Results:
- 13.5% of participants developed incident mobility disability over 3 years.
- Usual gait speed <1.2 m/s, 5TSTS time >13.6 seconds, and 400-m walk speed <1.19 m/s were highly predictive of future mobility disability.
- These physical performance measures predicted mobility disability independently of demographic variables (age, sex, height, weight).
Conclusions:
- The 5 times sit-to-stand (5TSTS) test, specifically completion time, is a clinically convenient and effective tool for predicting future mobility disability.
- A 5TSTS completion time of less than 13.7 seconds can serve as a guideline for monitoring and assessing older adults at risk.
- Early identification through physical performance testing can facilitate interventions to prevent or delay mobility disability in aging populations.
