Citation: Rodrigues, F.; Teixeira, J.E.; Forte, P. The Reliability of the Timed Up and Go Test among Portuguese Elderly. Healthcare 2023, 11, 928. https://doi.org/10.3390/ healthcare11070928 Academic Editor: Alessandro Sartorio Received: 1 March 2023 Revised: 15 March 2023 Accepted: 22 March 2023 Published: 23 March 2023 Copyright: © 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). healthcare Brief Report The Reliability of the Timed Up and Go Test among Portuguese Elderly Filipe Rodrigues 1,2 , José E. Teixeira 3,4,5 and Pedro Forte 4,5,6, * 1 ESECS—Polytechnic of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal 2 Life Quality Research Center, 2040-413 Leiria, Portugal 3 Department of Sport Sciences, Polytechnic of Guarda, 6300-559 Guarda, Portugal 4 Department of Sport Sciences, Polytechnic of Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal 5 Research Centre in Sports Sciences, Health, and Human Development, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal 6 CI-ISCE ISCE Douro, Higher Institute of Educational Sciences of the Douro, 4560-708 Penafiel, Portugal * Correspondence: pedromiguel.forte@iscedouro.pt Abstract: Assessment of dynamic balance is typically completed through functional tests, such as the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, which measures the time it takes for an individual to stand up from a chair, walk a set distance, turn around, and sit back down. This test has been validated in several countries. However, in the Portuguese population there is a gap on testing the reliability of this functional test in a sample of the elderly both living in the community or in nursing homes. Thus, this study aimed at examining the reliability of the TUG in a sample of Portuguese elderly. An Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) analysis was performed between the first time (T1) and the time score after 16 weeks (T2) in TUG test by 38 males and 79 females aged between 60 and 92 years. The results showed acceptable scores of ICC in community-dwelling and nursing home resident elderly in both moments. In addition, significant differences were found between these groups of older adults, showing that community-dwelling elderly show greater agility and balance capacity compared to those living in nursing homes. Thus, the TUG test can be applied in the Portuguese elderly in both community-dwelling and nursing home resident elderly. Keywords: older adult; dynamic balance; reliability; measurement 1. Introduction As the general population continues to age, the preservation of mobility and balance becomes increasingly crucial in sustaining an independent and active lifestyle. Dynamic balance is an important component of physical health in older persons. However, aging is related with a decline in dynamic balance, which can increase the risk of falls and have a detrimental influence on quality of life. Falls can have long-term physical and psychological repercussions, such as disability, fear of falling, and reduced quality of life [1]. The ability of an individual to maintain stability and control while in motion is referred to as dynamic balance [2]. To establish a consistent and efficient movement pattern, sensory input, motor output, and cognitive processes must be coordinated. Dynamic balance is required for daily activities such as walking, ascending stairs, and getting out of a chair, as well as more sophisticated movements such as picking up an object, turning around, and placing it in an elevated area [3]. Multiple physiological systems must collaborate to establish dynamic balance. Through sensory receptors in the skin, muscles, and joints, the somatosensory system gives information about the body’s position and movement [4]. The visual system offers input about the environment and helps to adapt motions depending on visual cues. The vestibular system in the inner ear gives information about head movement and direction and plays a critical role in maintaining balance during dynamic movements. Motor output is also critical for achieving dynamic balance. The musculoskeletal system must generate the appropriate force and torque Healthcare 2023, 11, 928. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11070928 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/healthcare