Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test Calculator

The TUG test is a simple clinical measure of functional mobility assessing balance, gait speed, and fall risk. Takes less than 2 minutes to administer.

Clinical Applications

• Screening fall risk in community-dwelling older adults and geriatric physiotherapy patients
• Tracking mobility recovery after hip and knee replacement, stroke, or spinal cord injury
• Monitoring gait and balance impairment in Parkinson's disease — TUG correlates well with disease severity
• Determining safe discharge destination and need for assistive devices or home modifications

How to Interpret Results

• A time of >12 seconds indicates fall risk in most community-dwelling older adults; >20 seconds warrants comprehensive fall prevention intervention
• The MCID for TUG is approximately 1.4–3.4 seconds depending on the population — progressive improvement should be monitored at every session
• Dual-task TUG (e.g., counting backwards while walking) provides additional insight into cognitive-motor integration, particularly in Parkinson's and post-stroke populations

1. 1.Podsiadlo D, Richardson S (1991). The timed "Up & Go": a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 39(2), 142–148.
2. 2.Shumway-Cook A, Brauer S, Woollacott M (2000). Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults using the Timed Up & Go Test. Physical Therapy, 80(9), 896–903.
3. 3.Steffen TM, Hacker TA, Mollinger L (2002). Age- and gender-related test performance in community-dwelling elderly people. Physical Therapy, 82(2), 128–137.