Timed Up and Go
Page updated: Evidence reviewed: What this means
The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test measures functional mobility and balance by recording the time needed to rise from a chair, walk 3 metres, turn, walk back, and sit down. Normative data are from a large population-based study (Svinoy et al. 2021, n=5,400) drawn from the Norwegian Tromsø cohort. All five percentiles (P5 to P95) are reported natively; no approximation was needed. Lower times indicate faster performance. Read more on Wikipedia
How to Perform This Test (Protocol)
- Equipment
-
- Chair with armrests and a 43 cm seat height
- Tape measure or cone
- Stopwatch
- Protocol Steps
-
- Mark a point 3 metres from the chair.
- Participant sits fully in the chair, back against the backrest, arms resting on armrests.
- On 'Go', start the timer; the participant may use the armrests to stand, then walks at their regular pace to the marker, turns, walks back, and sits down.
- Stop the timer when the participant is seated again.
- Scoring
Record the elapsed time in seconds from the command 'Go' until the participant is seated again.
- Notes
This is the source-study procedure. Other TUG variants use different chair heights, pacing instructions, or trial counts and may not be directly comparable with these norms.
Data source: Svinoy et al. About this study
Reference population: Community-dwelling Norwegian adults aged 60-84, Tromsø Study (2,496 men, 2,904 women)
Timed Up and Go Norms Chart by Age and Sex (seconds)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 60-64 | Male | 5.7 | 7.2 | 8.4 | 9.9 | 13.0 |
| Female | 6.1 | 7.7 | 9.0 | 10.7 | 14.1 | |
| 65-69 | Male | 6.1 | 7.7 | 9.0 | 10.7 | 14.0 |
| Female | 6.6 | 8.3 | 9.8 | 11.8 | 16.0 | |
| 70-74 | Male | 6.6 | 8.5 | 10.1 | 12.2 | 16.5 |
| Female | 7.3 | 9.3 | 11.1 | 13.6 | 18.9 | |
| 75-79 | Male | 7.6 | 9.8 | 11.8 | 14.5 | 20.5 |
| Female | 8.3 | 10.7 | 12.9 | 16.0 | 23.2 | |
| 80-84 | Male | 8.4 | 11.4 | 14.1 | 18.2 | 27.0 |
| Female | 9.6 | 13.0 | 16.3 | 21.0 | 32.5 | |
What to expect by age group
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 60-64 | 7.2 to 9.9 | 7.7 to 10.7 |
| 65-69 | 7.7 to 10.7 | 8.3 to 11.8 |
| 70-74 | 8.5 to 12.2 | 9.3 to 13.6 |
| 75-79 | 9.8 to 14.5 | 10.7 to 16.0 |
| 80-84 | 11.4 to 18.2 | 13.0 to 21.0 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Timed Up and Go test measure?
The TUG records the time needed to stand, walk 3 metres at a regular pace, turn, return, and sit. This page provides population percentiles for mobility and balance; it does not apply a universal fall-risk or diagnostic cutoff.
What is the protocol for the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test?
The full step-by-step protocol is detailed in the 'How to Perform This Test (Protocol)' section above.
How is the TUG different from the 8-foot up-and-go?
The standard TUG uses a 3-metre (9.8 ft) walk distance; the 8-foot up-and-go (part of the Senior Fitness Test battery) uses 2.44 metres (8 ft). Both measure similar abilities but the norms are not interchangeable due to the different distances and source populations.
Why does this metric only cover ages 60-84?
The Svinoy et al. (2021) study was designed for community-dwelling older adults in the Tromsø cohort. Younger adult TUG data exist (e.g. Kear et al. 2017) but those studies are too small and lack sex-stratified percentiles for our format.
Why is a lower score better?
TUG records time in seconds; the faster the completion, the better the mobility. A score at the 5th percentile (fastest times, around 5-9 seconds depending on age) indicates excellent functional mobility; a score at the 95th percentile (slowest times) indicates poor performance relative to peers.