Construct validity, responsiveness, and minimal important change of the 5 times sit-to-stand test when used with healthy community-living older adults

This study examined the responsiveness of five times sit-to-stand test (5STS) to changes in measures of mobility, strength, balance, participants’ quality of life (QOL) and global rating of change. Similarly, the construct validity of the 5STS is explored via comparison to measures of mobility, strength, balance, QOL at baseline. Ninety-six community-living older adults completed the following tests at baseline: the 5STS, single leg stand, timed up and go (TUG), 2-min walk distance (2MWD), and QOL. Correlation analyses compared the 5STS time to measurements of the other tests at baseline, as well as changes in the measurements after 12 weeks following a functional fitness assessment and advice for fitness improvement, given at the start of the summer. Furthermore, Receiver Operating Characteristics measured the 5STS’s discriminatory ability. Baseline 5STS correlated with measures of balance, mobility and QOL. The 5STS was also responsive to changes in QOL, TUG, and 2MWD and discriminated between those with a positive and no change in QOL; a 1.48 s reduction in 5STS is the threshold for this discrimination. The 5STS is a valid and responsive measure of dynamic balance and mobility. The time of 1.48 s offers a novel metric that demonstrates an important change in 5STS in a community-living older adult population.