8-Foot Up-and-Go
The 8-foot up-and-go test measures agility and dynamic balance. Specifically, it records the time it takes to stand from a chair, walk 8 feet (2.44 m), turn around, and sit back down. It is part of the Senior Fitness Test battery (Rikli & Jones 1999, n=7,183 US community-dwelling adults aged 60-94). Percentile curves (P5-P95) are from the Senior Fitness Test Manual, 2nd edition (2013), modelled from the same sample. Lower times indicate better performance. Watch video demonstration
How to Perform This Test
- Equipment
-
- 17-inch (43 cm) straight-back chair
- Cone or marker
- Measuring tape
- Stopwatch
- Steps
-
- Place the chair against a wall; set a cone exactly 8 feet (2.44 m) from the front of the chair.
- Participant sits in the middle of the chair, hands on thighs, feet flat on the floor.
- On 'Go', the timer starts; participant stands, walks as quickly as safely possible around the cone, and returns to a fully seated position.
- The timer stops when the participant's buttocks touch the chair seat.
- Scoring
Time recorded to the nearest 0.1 second. Perform two trials; record the fastest time.
- Notes
Participants may use a cane or walker if needed, record this. The cone must be walked around, not just touched.
Data source: Rikli & Jones (SFT) About this study
8-Foot Up-and-Go Norms by Age and Sex (seconds)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 60-64 | Male | 3 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 5.6 | 6.8 |
| Female | 3.2 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 6 | 7.2 | |
| 65-69 | Male | 3.1 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 7.1 |
| Female | 3.6 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 6.4 | 7.6 | |
| 70-74 | Male | 3.2 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 6.2 | 7.4 |
| Female | 3.8 | 4.9 | 6 | 7.1 | 8.6 | |
| 75-79 | Male | 3.3 | 4.6 | 5.9 | 7.2 | 9 |
| Female | 4 | 5.2 | 6.3 | 7.4 | 8.9 | |
| 80-84 | Male | 4 | 5.2 | 6.4 | 7.6 | 9.4 |
| Female | 4 | 5.7 | 7.2 | 8.7 | 10.8 | |
| 85-89 | Male | 4 | 5.5 | 7.2 | 8.9 | 11.5 |
| Female | 4.5 | 6.2 | 7.9 | 9.6 | 12 | |
| 90-94 | Male | 4.3 | 6.2 | 8.1 | 10 | 12.9 |
| Female | 5 | 7.3 | 9.4 | 11.5 | 14.6 | |
What to expect by age group
Among adults aged 60 to 64, the middle 50% complete the test in 3.8 to 5.6 seconds for men and 4.4 to 6.0 seconds for women. Times increase substantially with each 5-year bracket, roughly doubling from the 60s to the early 90s; men are about 0.5 to 1.0 second faster than women across all ages. Times above 5.6 seconds (men) or 6.0 seconds (women) are typically below average; times below 3.8 seconds (men) or 4.4 seconds (women) are above average (lower is faster).
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 60-64 | 3.8 to 5.6 | 4.4 to 6 |
| 65-69 | 4.3 to 5.9 | 4.8 to 6.4 |
| 70-74 | 4.4 to 6.2 | 4.9 to 7.1 |
| 75-79 | 4.6 to 7.2 | 5.2 to 7.4 |
| 80-84 | 5.2 to 7.6 | 5.7 to 8.7 |
| 85-89 | 5.5 to 8.9 | 6.2 to 9.6 |
| 90-94 | 6.2 to 10 | 7.3 to 11.5 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the 8-foot up-and-go test measure?
Agility and dynamic balance, meaning the ability to quickly get up, walk, change direction, and sit back down. This reflects everyday tasks like getting up to answer the phone or navigating around furniture. Slower times are associated with increased fall risk.
How is the test performed?
The full step-by-step protocol is detailed in the 'How to Perform This Test' section above.
How is this different from the Timed Up and Go (TUG)?
The 8-foot up-and-go uses an 8-foot (2.44 m) distance, while the standard Timed Up and Go (TUG) uses 3 metres (9.8 feet). Both measure similar abilities, but norms are not interchangeable due to the different distances.
Why does this metric only cover ages 60-94?
The Senior Fitness Test was designed for older adults. The normative data (Rikli & Jones, n=7,183) was collected from community-dwelling adults aged 60-94.
Where do the percentile values come from?
The percentile curves come from the Senior Fitness Test Manual (Rikli & Jones 2013, 2nd ed., ISBN 978-1-4504-1118-9), which models P5 through P95 from the original sample of 7,183 community-dwelling US adults aged 60-94 (Rikli & Jones 1999, DOI). All five percentiles we display (P5, P25, P50, P75, P95) come directly from the source, so no approximation is needed.
Related Metrics
Senior Fitness Test Battery
This metric is part of the Senior Fitness Test, a validated 7-test battery for adults aged 60-94.