Beyond mobility assessment: Timed up and go test and its relationship to osteoporosis and fracture risk

Background: Fracture determinants are falls, bone fragility, imbalance, and decreased lower limb strength. The timed up and go (TUG) test assesses most of the fracture determinants. Aim: To assess the relationship between mobility status using TUG test, bone mineral density (BMD), and different fracture risks predicted by different tools. Methods: A case (TUG time > 20 seconds)–control (TUG ≤ 20 seconds) study comprised 66 patients and 72 controls. Participants were assessed for falls, fracture history, and BMD using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; the estimated 10-year fracture risk was also calculated using both the World Health Organization fracture risk assessment tool and Garvan fracture risk calculator. Results: Patients had a lower femoral BMD (p = 0.009), T score (p = 0.003), and Z score (p = 0.001). Femur neck osteoporosis had a higher number of patients (p < 0.001). Patients also had lower lumbar BMD (p = 0.02), T-score (p = 0.02), and Z-score (p = 0.005). The estimated 10-year fracture risk for hip and other osteoporotic fractures were higher among the patients using both fracture risk assessment tool and Garvan calculators. Conclusion: Poor TUG test results are associated with lower BMD and higher estimated 10 year fracture risk