Senior Fitness Tests
PTA 103L Intro to Clinical Practice 2

Common Senior Fitness Tests

30-second Chair Stand Test

• Sensitive to detect changes with exercise in healthy older adults
• Score is based on number of full stands in 30 seconds
• 1-2 practice trials before starting the test
• Chair should be braced against the wall
• May use an assistive device, but the use should be documented

30-second Arm Curl Test

• Highly correlated with combined upper body strength
• Starting and ending position is "handshake grasp"

6-Minute Walk Test

• Data is recorded as patient/client walks around a 50 yard course
• Successful in monitoring exercise effects in healthy populations and specific diseases, specifically aerobic capacity and gait
• Participants can stop and rest as needed
• Link to Rehab Measures: Summarizes norms across multiple conditions

 2-Minute Step Test

• Knee raises to mid-point between patella and iliac crest

Chair Sit-and-Reach Test

• Assesses lower body flexibility
• Measure the number of inches between extended fingers and toes when in a sitting positions
• Reaches that do not pass the toe are recorded as negative (e.g., -3.5 inches)
• Maximum reach must be held for 2 seconds

Back Scratch Test

• Sensitive for upper body flexibility
• Measured as negative if fingers do not touch, positive if they overlap

8-Foot Up-and-Go Test

• Record the amount of time to rise from seated position, walk 8 feet, turn, and return to seated
• Effective for discriminating fall risk if unable to complete in less than 8.5 seconds.
• Score is based on best of two trials