Beyond mobility assessment: Timed up and go test and its relationship to osteoporosis and fracture risk

Background

Fracture determinants are falls, bone fragility, imbalance, and decreased lower limb strength. The timed up and go (TUG) test assesses most of the fracture determinants.

Aim

To assess the relationship between mobility status using TUG test, bone mineral density (BMD), and different fracture risks predicted by different tools.

Methods

A case (TUG time > 20 seconds)–control (TUG ≤ 20 seconds) study comprised 66 patients and 72 controls. Participants were assessed for falls, fracture history, and BMD using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; the estimated 10-year fracture risk was also calculated using both the World Health Organization fracture risk assessment tool and Garvan fracture risk calculator.

Results

Patients had a lower femoral BMD (p = 0.009), T score (p = 0.003), and Z score (p = 0.001). Femur neck osteoporosis had a higher number of patients (p < 0.001). Patients also had lower lumbar BMD (p = 0.02), T-score (p = 0.02), and Z-score (p = 0.005). The estimated 10-year fracture risk for hip and other osteoporotic fractures were higher among the patients using both fracture risk assessment tool and Garvan calculators.

Conclusion

Poor TUG test results are associated with lower BMD and higher estimated 10 year fracture risk.