Functional Performance in Community-dwelling Elderly People: Six-minute Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go Test and Gait Speeds

Background and Purpose

The interpretation of patient’s score on clinical tests of physical mobility in different age groups is limited by a lack of data describing the range of performance among people without disabilities in the different age groups especially the elderly adults. The purpose of this study was to provide data for the values of four clinical tests- 6 Minute Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go test and Normal and Fast walking speeds in community dwelling older adults.

Subjects

Normal males and females (n=45) in the age group of 50- 79 yrs with asymptomatic knee function were included in the study after they gave their informed consent.

Methods

The subjects were allocated to the three groups according to their age Group A (50-59 years), Group B (60-69 years), and Group C (70-79 years). Subjects were told to wear comfortable shoes and were tested for: 6-minute walk test, Berg Balance Scale, Comfortable Gait speed, Fast Gait speed, Timed up and go test.

Results

Using a Pearson product moment correlation test the results showed a significant decline in performance for commonly used performance tests with increase in age in community-dwelling elderly people.

Conclusion

Age dependant normative values for performance tests should be developed especially for commonly used tests like the 6-Minute walk test, Berg Balance Scale, Gait speed and the Timed Up & Go test.