Validity and Reliability of the Self-administered Timed Up and Go Test: a Promising Telehealth Resource for Monitoring the Risk of Falls in Community-dwelling Older Adults

Digital health is an effective solution to overcome logistical and access challenges in urban and rural areas. Telephysiotherapy can play a vital role in tracking and monitoring health and risk factors in older adults.The aim of this study was to determinate the validity and the reliability of the self-administered Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, a gold standard test for fall risk screening, when compared to the traditional face-to-face assessment carried out by a physiotherapist. The protocol included sociodemographic and history of falls questions, the Self-Efficacy for Exercise questionnaire, the Activities and Participation Profile Related to Mobility (PAPM) and three functional tests, namely the 10-Meter Walking Speed (10-MWS) test, TUG test and 30 Seconds Sit to Stand (30s STS) test. Within an interval of 18-24 hours after the face-to-face moment, the participants were invited and instructed to self-administer the TUG test at home.