Reference values for gait speed, TUG, SPPB and sit-to-stand
The normal values and cut-offs clinicians use to read these tests, each with its source. They describe the tests and the people studied, not any app.
Values depend on the population studied and on how the test was run (distance, standing or moving start, chair height). Use them as context, not a diagnosis, and talk to a healthcare professional about your own results.
Gait speed
How fast someone walks at their usual pace, in metres per second. One of the most studied single measures of health in older adults.
| Value | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| About 1.2–1.4 m/s | Normal walking speed for adults | Fritz & Lusardi, 2009 |
| 1.43 → 0.94 m/s | Range of average comfortable speed in healthy adults, from men aged 40–49 to women aged 80–99 (41 studies, 23,111 people) | Bohannon & Williams Andrews, 2011 |
| Under 0.6 m/s | More likely poor health and function (a cut-off from earlier studies) | cited by Studenski et al., 2011 |
| About 0.8 m/s | Life expectancy at the median for age and sex | Studenski et al., 2011 |
| 1.0 m/s or more | Survival longer than expected for age and sex (34,485 older adults) | Studenski et al., 2011 |
| 0.8 m/s or less · under 1.0 m/s | Low physical performance in sarcopenia assessment (European · Asian criteria; Asian criteria use a 6 m walk) | EWGSOP2, 2019 · AWGS, 2019 |
| 0.05 · 0.10 m/s | Small · substantial meaningful change in older adults | Perera et al., 2006 |
Normative values may not apply to short walks started from standing or walks that include a turn.
Sources
- Fritz & Lusardi, J Geriatr Phys Ther 2009
- Bohannon & Williams Andrews, Physiotherapy 2011
- Studenski et al., JAMA 2011
- Cruz-Jentoft et al. (EWGSOP2), Age Ageing 2019
- Chen et al. (AWGS 2019), J Am Med Dir Assoc 2020
- Perera et al., J Am Geriatr Soc 2006
In Step Doctor Step Doctor measures walking speed in every gait analysis and in the SPPB's two 4 m walks.
Timed Up and Go (TUG)
The time to stand up from a chair, walk 3 m, turn, walk back and sit down.
| Value | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 8.1 s (7.1–9.0) | Average time, healthy adults aged 60–69 | Bohannon, 2006 |
| 9.2 s (8.2–10.2) | Average time, aged 70–79 | Bohannon, 2006 |
| 11.3 s (10.0–12.7) | Average time, aged 80–99 | Bohannon, 2006 |
| 12 s or more | At risk for falling (CDC STEADI screening) | CDC STEADI, 2017 |
| 13.5 s or more | Associated with falls in community-dwelling older adults (87% sensitivity and specificity in 30 people). Pooled data: a slow time makes falls more likely, but a faster one doesn't rule them out (sensitivity 31%, specificity 74%); not to be used alone | Shumway-Cook et al., 2000 · Barry et al., 2014 |
| 20 s or more | Low physical performance in sarcopenia assessment | EWGSOP2, 2019 |
Times above the upper limit for the age group can be read as worse than average.
Sources
- Bohannon, J Geriatr Phys Ther 2006
- CDC STEADI: Timed Up & Go
- Shumway-Cook et al., Phys Ther 2000
- Barry et al., BMC Geriatr 2014
- Podsiadlo & Richardson (the original test), J Am Geriatr Soc 1991
In Step Doctor Step Doctor times the TUG from video, bands the total (under 10 s, 10–13.4 s, 13.5 s or more) and grades each of six phases.
Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)
Balance, a timed 4 m walk and five chair stands, 0–4 points each, 0–12 in total.
| Value | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Balance | Side-by-side 10 s = 1 · semi-tandem 10 s = 1 · tandem 10 s = 2, 3–9.99 s = 1 | Guralnik et al., 1994 · NIA protocol |
| 4 m walk | Under 4.82 s = 4 · 4.82–6.20 s = 3 · 6.21–8.70 s = 2 · over 8.70 s = 1 | NIA protocol |
| Five chair stands | 11.19 s or less = 4 · 11.20–13.69 s = 3 · 13.70–16.69 s = 2 · 16.70–60 s = 1 | NIA protocol |
| 0–3 · 4–6 · 7–9 | Higher odds of death than 10–12: 3.25 · 2.14 · 1.50 (17 studies, 16,534 people) | Pavasini et al., 2016 |
| 4–6 · 7–9 | Higher risk of later mobility disability than 10–12: 2.9–4.9× · 1.5–2.1× | Guralnik et al., 2000 |
| 8 or less · 9 or less | Low physical performance in sarcopenia assessment (European · Asian criteria) | EWGSOP2, 2019 · AWGS, 2019 |
| 0.5 · 1.0 point | Small · substantial meaningful change | Perera et al., 2006 |
The 1994 paper used an 8-foot walk; the 4 m cut-points come from the NIA protocol.
Sources
- Guralnik et al., J Gerontol 1994
- Guralnik et al., J Gerontol A 2000
- Pavasini et al., BMC Med 2016
- Perera et al., J Am Geriatr Soc 2006
- NIA: Short Physical Performance Battery
In Step Doctor Step Doctor runs the whole SPPB hands-free and scores it with these cut-points.
Five-times sit-to-stand
The time to stand up from a chair and sit back down five times, arms crossed. Also the third part of the SPPB.
| Value | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Over 11.4 s | Worse than average, aged 60–69 | Bohannon, 2006 |
| Over 12.6 s | Worse than average, aged 70–79 | Bohannon, 2006 |
| Over 14.8 s | Worse than average, aged 80–89 | Bohannon, 2006 |
| 12 s or more · over 15 s | Low physical performance in sarcopenia assessment (Asian · European criteria) | AWGS, 2019 · EWGSOP2, 2019 |
Sources
- Bohannon, Percept Mot Skills 2006
- Chen et al. (AWGS 2019), J Am Med Dir Assoc 2020
- Cruz-Jentoft et al. (EWGSOP2), Age Ageing 2019
In Step Doctor Step Doctor times five chair stands as part of the SPPB.
4-stage balance test
Four stances held 10 seconds each: feet side by side, semi-tandem, tandem (heel to toe) and one foot.
| Value | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tandem under 10 s | Increased risk of falling | CDC STEADI, 2017 |
The SPPB uses the first three stances.
Sources
In Step Doctor Step Doctor times the SPPB's three balance stances from video and adds a sway measure.
Walking cadence
Steps per minute. These values mark exercise intensity, not a normal range.
| Value | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 100 · 110 · 120 steps/min | About 3 · 4 · 5 METs, all moderate intensity, in adults aged 61–85 | Tudor-Locke et al., 2021 |
Sources
In Step Doctor Step Doctor measures cadence in every gait analysis.