Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test is associated with both history of falls and fear of falling among community adults aged 50 years and older

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Limited evidence has examined the association between balance and mobility measures with risk of fall.

Aim

To determine the prevalence and balance measures associated with falls and fear of falling among community adults aged 50 years and older.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 50 years, living in Saudi Arabia. The participants were asked to report any history of falls in the past 12 months and fear of falling using the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES-I). Balance/mobility measures included the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Functional Reach Test (FRT), 10-m walk test (10-MWT), 6-min walk test (6-MWT), and Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (5XSST).

Results

Two hundred and six participants, including 96 women, were included. The prevalence of falls was 12.6%, and the 5XSST was the only balance measure significantly associated with falls (OR 1.17, 95% CI [1.03, 1.33], p = 0.019) with a cutoff score of 13.93 s or more, a sensitivity of 0.73, and a specificity of 0.58. An increase in 5XSST time was associated with an increase in FES-I score, while a decrease in other balance measures (10-MWT, TUG, FRT, and 6-MWT) was associated with an increase in FES-I scores.

Conclusion

Adults living in Saudi Arabia had a low prevalence of falls. The 5XSST was the only significant balance/mobility measure that distinguished fallers from non-fallers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Data will be available from the corresponding author based on reasonable request.

References

  1. Sourdet S, van Kan GA, Soto ME et al (2012) Prognosis of an abnormal one-leg balance in community-dwelling patients with Alzheimer’s disease: a 2-year prospective study in 686 patients of the REAL.FR study. J Am Med Dir Assoc 13(4):407.e–6

  2. World Health Organization, Ageing, and L.C. Unit (2008) WHO global report on falls prevention in older age. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241563536. Accessed 10 Nov 2022

  3. Santos GM, Souza AC, Virtuoso JF et al (2011) Predictive values at risk of falling in physically active and no active elderly with Berg Balance Scale. Rev Bras Fisioter 15(2):95–101

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Sterling DA, O’Connor JA, Bonadies J (2001) Geriatric falls: injury severity is high and disproportionate to mechanism. J Trauma 50(1):116–119

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Tinetti ME, Williams TF, Mayewski R (1986) Fall risk index for elderly patients based on number of chronic disabilities. Am J Med 80(3):429–434

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Cumming RG (1998) Epidemiology of medication-related falls and fractures in the elderly. Drugs Aging 12(1):43–53

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fuller GF (2000) Falls in the elderly. Am Fam Physician 61(7):2159

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Sibley KM et al (2011) Balance assessment practices and use of standardized balance measures among Ontario physical therapists. Phys Ther 91(11):1583–1591

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Bloem BR, Grimbergen YA, Cramer M et al (2001) Prospective assessment of falls in Parkinson’s disease. J Neurol 248(11):950–958

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Berg K (1992) Measuring balance in the elderly: development and validation of an instrument. McGill University, Thesis

    Google Scholar 

  11. Lundin-Olsson L (2010) Community-dwelling older adults with balance impairment show a moderate increase in fall risk, although further research is required to refine how balance measurement can be used in clinical practice. Evid Based Nurs 13(3):96–97

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Steffen TM, Mollinger LA (2005) Age- and gender-related test performance in community-dwelling adults. J Neurol Phys Ther 29(4):181–188

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. 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. Phys Ther 82(2):128–137

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Rubenstein LZ (2006) Falls in older people: epidemiology, risk factors and strategies for prevention. Age and ageing 35(suppl_2):ii37-ii41

  15. Alamri S, Ghamri R, Alshehr W et al (2023) Falls and correlations among community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Pak J Med Sci 39(1)

  16. Alenazi AM (2022) Number of medications and polypharmacy are associated with risk of fall in Saudi community-dwelling adults (in press). Saudi Pharm J

  17. Alabdullgader A, Rabbani U (2021) Prevalence and risk factors of falls among the elderly in Unaizah City, Saudi Arabia. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J 21(1):e86

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Alqahtani BA, Alshehri MM, Hoover JC et al (2019) Prevalence of falls among older adults in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gerontol Geriatr

  19. Alghadir AH, Al-Momani M, Marchetti GF et al (2015) Cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of the Arabic version of the Fall Efficacy Scale International. Neurosciences 20(3):230–235

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Halaweh H, Svantesson U, Rosberg S et al (2016) Cross-cultural adaptation, validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I). Med Princ Pract 25(1):1–7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kempen GI, Todd CJ, Van Haastregt JC et al (2007) Cross-cultural validation of the Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I) in older people: results from Germany, the Netherlands and the UK were satisfactory. Disabil Rehabil 29(2):155–162

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Kuo C-T, Chen DR, Chen YM et al (2021) Validation of the short Falls Efficacy Scale-International for Taiwanese community-dwelling older adults: associations with fall history, physical frailty, and quality of life. Geriatr Nurs 42(5):1012–1018

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. AlHadi AN, AlAteeq DA, Al-Sharif E et al (2017) An Arabic translation, reliability, and validation of Patient Health Questionnaire in a Saudi sample. Annals Gen Psychiatry 16(1):1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Kroenke K, Spitzer RL (2002) The PHQ-9: a new depression diagnostic and severity measure. SLACK Incorporated Thorofare, NJ. pp 509–515.

  25. Shumway-Cook A, Brauer S, Woollacott M (2000) Predicting the probability for falls in community-dwelling older adults using the Timed Up & Go test. Phys Ther 80(9):896–903

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Behrman AL, Light KE, Flynn SM et al (2002) Is the Functional Reach Test useful for identifying falls risk among individuals with Parkinson’s disease? Arch Phys MedRehabil 83(4):538–542

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Bohannon RW (1997) Comfortable and maximum walking speed of adults aged 20–79 years: reference values and determinants. Age Ageing 26(1):15–19

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. ATS Committee on Proficiency Standards for Clinical Pulmonary Function Laboratories (2002) ATS statement: guidelines for the six-minute walk test. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 166:111–117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Muñoz-Bermejo L, Adsuar JC, Mendoza-Muñoz M et al (2021) Test-retest reliability of Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST) in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biology 10(6):510

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  30. Niino N, Tsuzuku S, Ando F et al (2000) Frequencies and circumstances of falls in the National Institute for Longevity Sciences, Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA). J Epidemiol 10(1sup):90–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Kitayuguchi J, Kamada M, Okada S et al (2015) Association between musculoskeletal pain and trips or falls in rural Japanese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study. Geriatr Gerontol Int 15(1):54–64

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Fang X, Shi J, Song X et al (2012) Frailty in relation to the risk of falls, fractures, and mortality in older Chinese adults: results from the Beijing longitudinal study of aging. J Nutr Health Aging 16(10):903–907

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Almegbel FY, Alotaibi IM, Alhusain FA et al (2018) Period prevalence, risk factors and consequent injuries of falling among the Saudi elderly living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 8(1):e019063

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Alshammari SA, Alhassan AM, Aldawsari MA et al (2018) Falls among elderly and its relation with their health problems and surrounding environmental factors in Riyadh. J Family Community Med 25(1):29

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Yamada T, Demura S-I (2009) Relationships between ground reaction force parameters during a sit-to-stand movement and physical activity and falling risk of the elderly and a comparison of the movement characteristics between the young and the elderly. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 48(1):73–77

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Tiedemann A, Shimada H, Sherrington C et al (2008) The comparative ability of eight functional mobility tests for predicting falls in community-dwelling older people. Age Ageing 37(4):430–435

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Intaruk R, Saengsuwan J, Amatachaya S et al (2021) The ability of Timed-Up and Go test and Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test to screen risk of fall in well-functioning elderly. Naresuan Phayao J 14(1):54–63

    Google Scholar 

  38. Manorangsan S, Panpeach P, Vorakittikul D (2015) Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test and activities-specific balance confidence scale in Thai fallers. Sci Technol Asia 20:18–28

    Google Scholar 

  39. 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. J Geriatr Phys Ther 40(1):1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Zhang F, Ferrucci L, Culham E et al (2013) Performance on Five Times Sit-to-Stand Task as a predictor of subsequent falls and disability in older persons. J Aging Health 25(3):478–492

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Buatois S, Perret-Guillaume C, Gueguen R et al (2010) A simple clinical scale to stratify risk of recurrent falls in community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older. Phys Ther 90(4):550–560

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Lord SR, Murray SM, Chapman K et al (2002) Sit-to-stand performance depends on sensation, speed, balance, and psychological status in addition to strength in older people. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 57(8):M539–M543

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Figueiredo D, Santos S (2017) Cross-cultural validation of the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) in Portuguese community-dwelling older adults. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 68:168–173

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences in Al-Kharj, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, 11942, Saudi Arabia

    Rawan M. Alosaimi, Noura R. Almegbas, Gamar R. Almutairi, Ahmed S. Alhowimel, Bader A. Alqahtani & Aqeel M. Alenazi

  2. Department of Research and Innovation, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, 13223, Saudi Arabia

    Maha A. Alqahtani

  3. East Jeddah General Hospital, Western Region, Jeddah, 22253, Saudi Arabia

    Saleh G. Batook

  4. Abu Arish General Hospital, Jazan, 84214, Saudi Arabia

    Ibrahim A. Alfageh

  5. Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Shuruq F. Alanazi

  6. Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia

    Mohammed M. Alshehri

Authors
  1. Rawan M. Alosaimi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Noura R. Almegbas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Gamar R. Almutairi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Maha A. Alqahtani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Saleh G. Batook
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ibrahim A. Alfageh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Shuruq F. Alanazi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Mohammed M. Alshehri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Ahmed S. Alhowimel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Bader A. Alqahtani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Aqeel M. Alenazi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by all authors. The first draft of the manuscript was written by all authors, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aqeel M. Alenazi.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Participation was voluntary, in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and all participants signed a consent form. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University (No. RHPT/021/017).

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Alosaimi, R.M., Almegbas, N.R., Almutairi, G.R. et al. The Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test is associated with both history of falls and fear of falling among community adults aged 50 years and older. Ir J Med Sci 192, 2533–2540 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-023-03287-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-023-03287-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation