Timed Up and Go test
A standardized clinical assessment in which a patient rises from a chair, walks three metres, turns, returns, and sits down; used in geriatric rehabilitation to measure functional mobility and fall risk.
Full Definition
The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is a validated, brief performance-based measure of functional mobility widely used in geriatric rehabilitation and fall-risk assessment. The clinician records the time (in seconds) taken for the patient to complete the sequence; scores above 12 seconds in older adults are generally associated with elevated fall risk. Editors should capitalise 'Timed Up and Go' as a proper noun whenever it refers to the standardized test, and should verify that the abbreviation TUG is defined on first use. The test should not be described loosely as a 'walking test', as it specifically measures sit-to-stand transfer and turning, not walking speed alone.
Usage
Usage note: Capitalise all major words: 'Timed Up and Go test' (note lowercase 't' on 'test'). The abbreviation TUG should be defined on first use. Do not paraphrase as 'stand-and-walk test', as this loses the precision of the instrument name.
In Context
- "The physiotherapist administered the Timed Up and Go test, obtaining a score of 18 seconds, indicating moderate fall risk." — Physiotherapy assessment note
- "Improvement on the TUG test from 22 to 14 seconds over six weeks of rehabilitation was documented in the outcomes summary." — Geriatric rehabilitation outcomes report