Clinical movement assessment tests: a clinician's guide
What the standard gait, balance, strength and motor tests measure, how each is run, what it is used for, and how to read the result — with every number cited to the primary literature or the CDC STEADI toolkit.
Most movement assessment comes down to a short list of well-studied tests. This guide is the map: one section per test, each linking to the cited norms and cut-offs on ourfunctional test reference values page and to deeper articles.
Choosing and reading tests. Falls are multifactorial; a systematic review found that no single measure is an accurate diagnostic tool on its own (ref 22). Use tests together, compare a patient against their own baseline over time, and interpret alongside history and clinical judgment. Cut-offs are screening thresholds, not diagnoses.
Last reviewed: October 6, 2026.
Nine tests, what they measure, and how they're scored
| Test | Domain | Score | Kinetically |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-Meter Walk Test | Gait / mobility | Speed (m/s) | Captured |
| Timed Up and Go | Functional mobility / fall risk | Time (s) | Captured |
| Five-Times Sit-to-Stand | Lower-limb strength / function | Time (s) | Captured |
| 30-Second Chair Stand | Lower-limb strength / fall risk | Number of stands | Not listed |
| 4-Stage Balance Test | Static balance / fall risk | Seconds held per stance | Related capture |
| Berg Balance Scale | Balance (multi-item) | 0–56 points | Partial support |
| Functional Reach | Balance / stability limits | Distance (cm or in) | Captured |
| Six-Minute Walk Test | Endurance / exercise capacity | Distance (m) | Not listed |
| MDS-UPDRS Part III | Parkinson's motor signs | Part III sum score | Aligned, not a replacement |
10-Meter Walk Test (gait speed)
What it measures
Walking speed over a short, straight course — at a comfortable (self-selected) pace, and sometimes also at a fast pace.
How it's performed
The patient walks a straight 10-meter course while the walk is timed; gait speed is distance divided by time. In one reliability study of older adults, participants completed three consecutive trials at self-selected speed, and stopwatch timing was about as reliable as automatic timers. [5]
What it's used for
A single, quick index of overall function — often called the "sixth vital sign" — used to screen, set baselines, and track change across most rehab and geriatric populations. [1]
Interpreting the result
- Mean comfortable speed in healthy adults ranges from about 1.43 m/s (men 40–49) to 0.94 m/s (women 80–99). [2]
- A small meaningful change is about 0.05 m/s and a substantial change about 0.10 m/s in older adults. [3]
- Among 34,485 adults aged 65+, each 0.1 m/s faster gait speed was associated with lower mortality (pooled hazard ratio 0.88). [4]
- Use the same distance every time: 4-meter and 10-meter results differed by up to ±0.15–0.17 m/s, enough to mask meaningful change, so the two are not interchangeable. [5]
Timed Up and Go (TUG)
What it measures
Basic functional mobility: standing up, walking, turning and sitting down as one continuous task.
How it's performed
The patient rises from an arm chair, walks 3 meters, turns, walks back, and sits down again; the total time is recorded. [6]
What it's used for
Fall-risk screening in older adults (it is part of the CDC STEADI toolkit) and following change in mobility over time. [8][6]
Interpreting the result
- Mean times in healthy adults are 8.1 s (60–69), 9.2 s (70–79) and 11.3 s (80–99). [7]
- CDC STEADI: an older adult who takes 12 seconds or longer is at risk for falling. Watch postural stability, gait, stride length and sway during the test. [8]
- In the original study the time score was reliable between and within raters and correlated with the Berg Balance Scale (r = −0.81). [6]
Five-Times Sit-to-Stand (5xSTS)
What it measures
How quickly the patient can complete five repetitions of rising from a chair and sitting back down — an index of lower-limb strength, power and balance.
How it's performed
The patient completes five consecutive sit-to-stand repetitions from a chair; the total time for the five repetitions is the score. [9]
What it's used for
Judging lower-limb performance in adults aged 60 and over against age-based reference values. [9]
Interpreting the result
- Times longer than 11.4 s (60–69), 12.6 s (70–79) or 14.8 s (80–89) indicate worse-than-average performance, based on a meta-analysis of 13 papers. [9]
30-Second Chair Stand
What it measures
Lower-body strength, as the number of full stands completed in 30 seconds.
How it's performed
From a chair with a 17-inch seat and no arm rests, the patient sits with arms crossed at the wrists against the chest and stands up fully and sits down as many times as possible in 30 seconds. If the patient must use their arms to stand, the score is 0. [11]
What it's used for
Fall-risk screening (CDC STEADI) and measuring lower-body strength in community-dwelling older adults. [11][10]
Interpreting the result
- Test–retest reliability was good (ICC 0.84 in men, 0.92 in women), and scores correlated with maximum leg-press strength (r = 0.78 men, 0.71 women). [10]
- CDC STEADI lists below-average scores by age and sex — for example fewer than 12 stands (men) or 10 (women) at 70–74. A below-average score indicates a risk for falls. [11]
4-Stage Balance Test
What it measures
Static standing balance across four progressively harder foot positions.
How it's performed
Without an assistive device and with eyes open, the patient holds each position for 10 seconds without moving the feet or needing support: feet side by side; semi-tandem (instep touching the big toe of the other foot); tandem (heel to toe); then standing on one foot. Stop when a position cannot be held. [12]
What it's used for
A quick static-balance screen within the CDC STEADI fall-risk workflow. [12]
Interpreting the result
- An older adult who cannot hold the tandem stand for at least 10 seconds is at increased risk of falling. [12]
Berg Balance Scale (BBS)
What it measures
Functional balance across 14 movements common in everyday life, scored on a 56-point scale.
How it's performed
The clinician observes and scores the patient on 14 everyday movements; item scores are summed to a total out of 56. [13][15]
What it's used for
Describing balance in older adults and people after stroke, and tracking change in balance over time. [14][15]
Interpreting the result
- Reliability is high: pooled intra-rater 0.98 and inter-rater 0.97 across 11 studies. [15]
- Individual change is harder to detect: the minimal detectable change (95% confidence) ranged from 2.8 to 6.6 points depending on where on the scale the patient scores, and a ceiling effect is evident for some people. [15]
- In healthy community-dwelling people with a mean age of 70 or older, mean scores ranged from 37 to 55, declining about 0.7 points per year with age. [16]
- In the validation study, balance scores predicted multiple falls among elderly residents. [14]
Functional Reach Test
What it measures
The margin of stability: how far the patient can reach forward beyond arm's length without moving the feet.
How it's performed
With a fixed base of support, the score is the difference between arm's length and maximal forward reach. The original study measured it with both an electronic device and a simple yardstick. [17]
What it's used for
Detecting balance impairment and change in balance over time in older adults. [17]
Interpreting the result
- Functional reach correlated with laboratory center-of-pressure excursion (r = 0.71) and was stable across days (ICC 0.81); age and height influence the result. [17]
Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT)
What it measures
Submaximal exercise capacity, as the distance walked in six minutes.
How it's performed
The patient walks as far as possible in six minutes; the result is the six-minute walk distance. Standard operating procedures are set out in ATS and ERS/ATS technical standards, and results are sensitive to small changes in method — the ERS/ATS standard calls for two tests in chronic respiratory disease. [18][19]
What it's used for
Evaluating exercise capacity, assessing prognosis and measuring treatment response — in chronic respiratory disease and in older-adult and rehab settings. [19][3]
Interpreting the result
MDS-UPDRS Part III (Motor Examination)
What it measures
Clinician-rated motor signs of Parkinson's disease. Part III is the Motor Examination within the four-part MDS-UPDRS (I: non-motor experiences of daily living; II: motor experiences of daily living; III: motor examination; IV: motor complications).
How it's performed
A trained rater administers the standardized motor examination and scores each item using the scale's item-specific instructions. (Parts I and II include 20 questions completed by the patient or caregiver.) [21]
What it's used for
Rating Parkinson's disease; the clinimetric testing study supports the scale's validity for this purpose. [21]
Interpreting the result
Objective capture of the tests you already run. Stopwatch timing and visual scoring add rater-to-rater variability that can be as large as the changes you are trying to detect. Kinetically uses a smartphone camera to capture several of these tests the same way at every visit — TUG, 10-meter gait speed, five-times sit-to-stand, functional reach, stance and sway, and the movement-based Berg items — so results can be compared with a patient's own baseline and with published norms. It does not offer the six-minute walk or the 30-second chair stand as dedicated tests, and it supports rather than replaces clinical judgment. See what Kinetically measures andthe evidence behind smartphone movement analysis.
Quick answers
What is the difference between the Timed Up and Go and a gait speed test?
A gait speed test such as the 10-Meter Walk Test times straight-line walking and reports speed in meters per second. The Timed Up and Go times a sequence — rising from an arm chair, walking 3 meters, turning, walking back and sitting down — so it reflects transfers and turning as well as walking.
Which tests are used to screen for fall risk?
The CDC STEADI toolkit uses the Timed Up and Go (12 seconds or longer indicates risk for falling), the 30-Second Chair Stand (a below-average score for age and sex indicates risk), and the 4-Stage Balance Test (being unable to hold a tandem stand for 10 seconds indicates increased risk). A systematic review concluded that no single measure is an accurate diagnostic tool on its own, so tests are best combined with history and clinical judgment.
What is the maximum score on the Berg Balance Scale?
The Berg Balance Scale covers 14 movements common in everyday life and is scored out of 56 points. Its minimal detectable change (95% confidence) ranges from 2.8 to 6.6 points depending on where on the scale a patient scores.
Can a 4-meter walk test replace the 10-meter walk test?
Not interchangeably. In healthy older adults, both were highly reliable, but results differed by up to about ±0.15–0.17 m/s — enough to mask meaningful change — so the authors recommended the 10-Meter Walk Test and using the same distance each time.
What change in gait speed or six-minute walk distance is meaningful?
In older adults, a small meaningful change is about 0.05 m/s in gait speed and about 20 m in six-minute walk distance; a substantial change is about 0.10 m/s and about 50 m.
Which of these tests does Kinetically capture?
Kinetically captures the Timed Up and Go, 10-meter gait speed, five-times sit-to-stand, functional reach, tandem and single-leg stance and postural sway, and the movement-based items of the Berg Balance Scale, and quantifies motor signs aligned to the MDS-UPDRS motor subscale. The 30-second chair stand and six-minute walk are not listed in its test library. It supports, and does not replace, clinical judgment.
References
- Fritz S, Lusardi M (2009). White paper: "Walking speed: the sixth vital sign". Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. 32(2):46–49. doi:10.1519/00139143-200932020-00002 · PMID 20039582
- Bohannon RW, Williams Andrews A (2011). Normal walking speed: a descriptive meta-analysis. Physiotherapy. 97(3):182–189. doi:10.1016/j.physio.2010.12.004 · PMID 21820535
- Perera S, Mody SH, Woodman RC, Studenski SA (2006). Meaningful change and responsiveness in common physical performance measures in older adults. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 54(5):743–749. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2006.00701.x · PMID 16696738
- Studenski S, Perera S, Patel K, et al. (2011). Gait speed and survival in older adults. JAMA. 305(1):50–58. doi:10.1001/jama.2010.1923 · PMID 21205966
- Peters DM, Fritz SL, Krotish DE (2013). Assessing the reliability and validity of a shorter walk test compared with the 10-Meter Walk Test for measurements of gait speed in healthy, older adults. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. 36(1):24–30. doi:10.1519/JPT.0b013e318248e20d · PMID 22415358
- Podsiadlo D, Richardson S (1991). The timed "Up & Go": a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 39(2):142–148. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1991.tb01616.x · PMID 1991946
- Bohannon RW (2006). Reference values for the Timed Up and Go test: a descriptive meta-analysis. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. 29(2):64–68. doi:10.1519/00139143-200608000-00004 · PMID 16914068
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2017). STEADI assessment: Timed Up & Go (TUG). CDC STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries) toolkit. cdc.gov
- Bohannon RW (2006). Reference values for the five-repetition sit-to-stand test: a descriptive meta-analysis of data from elders. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 103(1):215–222. doi:10.2466/pms.103.1.215-222 · PMID 17037663
- Jones CJ, Rikli RE, Beam WC (1999). A 30-s chair-stand test as a measure of lower body strength in community-residing older adults. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 70(2):113–119. doi:10.1080/02701367.1999.10608028 · PMID 10380242
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2017). STEADI assessment: 30-Second Chair Stand. CDC STEADI toolkit. cdc.gov
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2017). STEADI assessment: The 4-Stage Balance Test. CDC STEADI toolkit. cdc.gov
- Berg K (1989). Measuring balance in the elderly: preliminary development of an instrument. Physiotherapy Canada. 41(6):304–311. doi:10.3138/ptc.41.6.304
- Berg KO, Wood-Dauphinee SL, Williams JI, Maki B (1992). Measuring balance in the elderly: validation of an instrument. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 83 Suppl 2:S7–S11. pubmed
- Downs S, Marquez J, Chiarelli P (2013). The Berg Balance Scale has high intra- and inter-rater reliability but absolute reliability varies across the scale: a systematic review. Journal of Physiotherapy. 59(2):93–99. doi:10.1016/S1836-9553(13)70161-9 · PMID 23663794
- Downs S, Marquez J, Chiarelli P (2014). Normative scores on the Berg Balance Scale decline after age 70 years in healthy community-dwelling people: a systematic review. Journal of Physiotherapy. 60(2):85–89. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2014.01.002 · PMID 24952835
- Duncan PW, Weiner DK, Chandler J, Studenski S (1990). Functional reach: a new clinical measure of balance. Journal of Gerontology. 45(6):M192–M197. doi:10.1093/geronj/45.6.M192 · PMID 2229941
- ATS Committee on Proficiency Standards for Clinical Pulmonary Function Laboratories (2002). ATS statement: guidelines for the six-minute walk test. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. 166(1):111–117. doi:10.1164/ajrccm.166.1.at1102 · PMID 12091180
- Holland AE, Spruit MA, Troosters T, et al. (2014). An official European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society technical standard: field walking tests in chronic respiratory disease. European Respiratory Journal. 44(6):1428–1446. doi:10.1183/09031936.00150314 · PMID 25359355
- Steffen TM, Hacker TA, Mollinger L (2002). Age- and gender-related test performance in community-dwelling elderly people: Six-Minute Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up & Go Test, and gait speeds. Physical Therapy. 82(2):128–137. doi:10.1093/ptj/82.2.128 · PMID 11856064
- Goetz CG, Tilley BC, Shaftman SR, et al. (2008). Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS): scale presentation and clinimetric testing results. Movement Disorders. 23(15):2129–2170. doi:10.1002/mds.22340 · PMID 19025984
- Lusardi MM, Fritz S, Middleton A, et al. (2017). Determining risk of falls in community dwelling older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis using posttest probability. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. 40(1):1–36. doi:10.1519/JPT.0000000000000099 · PMID 27537070
Protocols and values were taken from the cited abstracts, Crossref records and public CDC STEADI assessment sheets, and reviewed on October 6, 2026. Follow the full published protocol for each test in practice. This page is an educational reference for clinicians; it is not medical advice and does not describe the accuracy of any specific device. Cite as: Kinetically, Inc. "Clinical movement assessment tests: a clinician's guide." kinetically.ai, 2026.
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