Concurrent Validity of Functional Gait Assessment, Timed Up and Go, and Gait Speed Tests in the Persian Community-Dwelling Elderly

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concurrent validity of the Farsi version of Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), Timed Up & Go (TUG), and Gait Speed tests in Persian communitydwelling older adults. Methods: Subjects were 100 males in falling or no falling history group (50 subjects in each group). Subjects were community-dwelling adults aged 60-90 years who were living in Tehran city. Each subject completed FGA, TUG, and GS tests once and was scored simultaneously by one tester. Results: Results show that the FGA and the TUG test were negative and significant correlated (r=-0.81, P<0.01), FGA and the Gait speed test were negative and significant correlated (r=-0.77, P<0.01) and also TUG test and the Gait speed test were positive and significant correlated (r=0.67, P<0.01). Discussion: Concurrent validity has been established for the FGA, TUG and Gait speed tests in Persian community-dwelling older adults with and without falling history. FGA, TUG and Gait Speed tests are appropriate gait and balance tools for people with and without falling history, and appear to be more sensitive in identifying and detecting Persian elderly at risk of falling.