A modified seated side tapping test in which the arms are crossed also reflects gait function in community-dwelling elderly.
Satoshi Fuchioka, Akira Iwata, Yumi Higuchi and 3 others
PMID 28931996WHAT IT FOUND
A seated test where elderly people cross their arms and tap shoulder pads correlates with walking speed and Timed Up and Go scores.
This suggests trunk control, not arm strength, drives the link between seated tapping tasks and gait function.
Key findings
01Performance on the Arms Crossed Seated Side Tapping test (AC-SST) showed significant moderate correlations with both gait speed and Timed Up and Go test scores.
02In multiple regression analysis, AC-SST performance was a significant predictor of gait speed and Timed Up and Go performance, alongside age and other factors.
03The AC-SST requires crossing arms over the chest to tap pads with shoulders, removing upper limb movement from the task.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
All participants could already walk independently, so the results may not apply to those with severe mobility impairments. The study did not account for gender differences in the analysis, which the authors note is a limitation. The soft pads used in the AC-SST might have allowed some rebound force, potentially affecting the precision of the measurement.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the AC-SST is a direct replacement for gait tests in all patients. This study only included people who could already walk independently, so its validity in non-ambulatory individuals is untested here.