Affiliations: [a] Department of Rehabilitation, Washington Hospital
Center | [b] School of Allied Health, University of
Connecticut
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Richard W Bohannon, EdD, PT, NCS,
Physical Therapy Consultants, 130 Middlebrook Road, West Hartford, CT 06119,
USA. Tel.: +1 860 233 1033; Fax: +1 860 233 0609; E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract: This study focused on the reliability, differences, and error of
sit-to-stand (STS) test measurements obtained during 3 sessions separated by 6
weeks. Twenty-one community-dwelling elders (65–85 years) participated.
The mean times required to complete five STS repetitions at each test session
were 13.2, 12.0, and 10.9 seconds. The times were reliable (intraclass
correlation coefficient = 0.82) but were significantly different (F = 6.889, p
= 0.003) and demonstrated a linear trend over sessions (F = 10.157, p= 0.005).
The technical error of the measurement for the times ranged from 1.7 to 2.8
seconds. Although the intraclass correlation coefficient showed the STS
measurement to possess good reliability, the significant difference and trend
over time suggests that subjects may experience some test familiarization with
repeated performance. Given this possibility and the technical error of the
measurement, clinicians should be cautious in equating small decreases in STS
time to real improvement.
