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Normative reference values for the timed up-and-go test in Indian children aged four to 11 years old and their
A Panchal1, J S Tedla1, D Ghatamaneni2
1Department of Physiotherapy, Shree Bhartimaiya College of Optometry and Physiotherapy, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, Gujarat, India.
Insights
This study establishes normative values for the Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUGT) in Indian children aged 4-11. Age significantly impacts TUGT scores, but gender does not, providing crucial data for functional mobility assessments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Gerontology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- The Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUGT) is a widely recognized tool for assessing functional mobility and dynamic balance.
- Establishing normative data is crucial for accurate interpretation of TUGT results in diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine normative reference values for the TUGT in children aged 4 to 11 years residing in Surat, India.
- To investigate the influence of age and gender on TUGT performance in this pediatric cohort.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 420 children (210 boys, 210 girls) aged 4-11 years.
- Participants were stratified into seven age groups, with 60 children per group.
- Three TUGT trials were conducted for each child, and the mean score was calculated.
Main Results:
- Normative reference values for the TUGT were established for each age group.
- The overall mean TUGT score was 6.00 ± 1.15 seconds.
- Significant differences in TUGT scores were observed across age groups (P < 0.001), with age showing a moderate negative correlation. No significant gender-based differences were found.
Conclusions:
- This study provides essential normative TUGT data for Indian children aged 4-11.
- Age is a significant determinant of TUGT performance in children, while gender is not.
- These findings aid in the clinical assessment of functional mobility and balance in pediatric populations in India.
Background:
The timed up-and-go test (TUGT) is a quick, reliable, and valid assessment tool for evaluating functional mobility or dynamic balance.
Aims:
The purpose of this study was to establish the normative values for TUGT in children aged 4 to 11 years old in Surat, India.
Methods:
A total of 420 children (210 boys and 210 girls) were included. Subjects were divided into seven age groups. In each age group, 60 (30 males and 30 females) subjects were included. Subjects were randomly recruited from primary schools and underwent three trials of the TUGT. Then, the mean of the three TUGT trials was calculated for each participant.
Results:
We formulated normative reference values for each of the seven age groups. The mean and standard deviation of the TUGT score across the total population was 6.00 ± 1.15 seconds. TUGT scores were compared between age groups and genders. Between boys and girls, we found no significant differences. Among the age groups, however, we found significant differences, with a P value of less than 0.001. Thus, only age showed a moderate negative correlation with TUGT score.
Conclusions:
This study provides normative reference values for the TUGT among Indian children aged four to 11 years old. We found that no differences existed between the TUGT results according to genders. Conversely, age had a moderate negative correlation: a comparison of TUGT scores among the ages revealed significant differences between the age groups.
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