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Outpatient Clinical Reference · Geriatric Syndromes
Falls Clinic Workflow
Timed Up and Go scoring · Medication review · Lab workup · Home safety evaluation
Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test
How to perform: Patient sits in a standard armchair. On "go," they stand up, walk 3 meters (10 feet) at their usual pace, turn around, walk back, and sit down. Time from "go" to seated.
Equipment: Standard armchair with armrests, 3-meter walkway, stopwatch. Patient wears their usual footwear and uses their usual assistive device if applicable.
Normal mobility. Annual screening. Vitamin D if not already on it.
Borderline impaired. Review medications. Consider PT referral. Vitamin D. Repeat in 3–6 months.
High fall risk. PT mandatory. Full medication review. Home safety evaluation. Assistive device assessment. Vitamin D. Follow-up in 4–6 weeks.
Very high fall risk. All of the above plus: OT home safety evaluation, caregiver education, consider home health referral. Cannot safely ambulate independently.
Clinical note: Document exact time in seconds, assistive device used, and any observed abnormalities (unsteady gait, difficulty turning, unable to rise without arms). The TUG is most useful for tracking change over time — repeat at every falls-related visit.
Evidence sources
- · AGS / BGS Clinical Practice Guideline for Prevention of Falls 2023
- · CDC STEADI Initiative
- · USPSTF Falls Prevention 2018
- · Podsiadlo D, Richardson S. J Am Geriatr Soc 1991 (TUG)
- · AGS Beers Criteria 2023
Review status
Last reviewed: 2026-04
Reviewed by the MyClinicianGuide editorial team. Cadence: annual.
Educational reference for licensed clinicians (NP, PA, MD, DO). Not a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, or specialty consultation. Apply in context of the full clinical picture, patient goals, and current standards of care. See About AI guidance for AI-related limitations.