Reliability and discriminant validity of the quantitative timed up and go in typically developing children and children with cerebral palsy GMFCS levels I-II

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and discriminant validity of the Quantitative Timed up and Go (QTUG) in typically developing (TD) children and children with cerebral palsy (CP).

Methods: Twenty-eight TD children and 8 with CP (GMFCS I-II) completed 3 TUG trials while wearing QTUG sensors. Test-retest reliability and discriminative ability were examined for the 57 constituent parameters of the TUG. Relationships between age and these parameters were also examined.

Results: Forty-four of the parameters demonstrated moderate to excellent test-retest reliability, with measures of angular velocity being the most reliable. Twenty-six parameters were different between TD children and those with CP, and twenty-eight gait parameters demonstrated correlations with age, further supporting its discriminative ability.

Conclusion: The QTUG is a clinically feasible tool that is capable of both reliably measuring and discriminating many of the movement parameters with the TUG mobility task in TD children and those with CP GMFCS I-II. The results of the present study provide preliminary evidence that the QTUG can discriminate between children on several of the gait parameters within the TUG.

Keywords: Cerebral palsy; QTUG; Quantitative Timed Up and Go; children; gait; inertial sensors; reliability.