Stratified normative data for the Timed Up and Down Steps test: Article Summary
Development of stratified normative data and reference equations for the timed up and down stairs test for healthy children 6-14 years of age
del Corral T, Vivas-Mateos J, Castillo-Pelaz M, Aguilar-Zafra S, López-de-Uralde-Villanueva I. Development of stratified normative data and reference equations for the timed up and down stairs test for healthy children 6–14 years of age. Physiotherapy. 2021;112:31-40. doi:10.1016/j.physio.2021.03.002
Purpose: To create a normative data set and reference equations for the timed up and down stairs test (TUDS) of children age 6-14 years old.
Study Population: Children age 6-14 years old.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sample was taken of 258 white children (125 boys, 133 girls) aged 6-14 years with no medical history of cognitive disorders, sensory impairments, or conditions affecting their ability to walk. The short version of the Minnesota Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPAQ) was administered, height, weight, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) values were collected. Standard TUDS procedure was used.
Interventions: No interventions were performed.
Results: Time to complete TUDS decreased with age for both boys and girls. A table was provided with normative values for boys and girls across all age groups measured. A reference equation was provided for boys and girls to predict TUDS scores using age, height, weight, and MLTPAQ score, as well as an equation for the lower limit of normal.
Conclusion: This study established normative data for healthy children aged 6-14 years for the TUDS test, and generated reference equations to accurately predict TUDS test scores for this population. TUDS scores were found to improve with age.
Strengths/limitations: The cross-sectional design of the study, number of potential variables collected, and testing procedures were all very strong. This study was limited by not including other ethnic and racial groups, potential variability in factors such as encouragement and enthusiasm, and that the specifications of the stairs used in testing may not be the same as others.
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I like how your summary was very concise and easy to read. I have utilized the TUDS once and ran into the same issue you mentioned here when researching about it, which was referring to the specifications of the stairs used. Great job!