Timed mobility: description of measurement, performance, and dimensionality among older adults.

The participants were a convenience sample of adults at least 75 years old who had high systolic blood pressure and white matter lesions, so the results may not generalise to younger adults, people without hypertension, or people without white matter lesions. People with lower cognitive or physical performance were excluded, including those with Mini-Mental State Examination scores below 24, Short Physical Performance Battery scores below 9 out of 12, prior stroke, a disease that compromised mobility, or inability to ambulate. The authors state that, except for the five sit-to-stand test, a single repetition served as the source of the criterion timed measurement, although participants performed each task twice and the best measure was analysed. The study assessed only time, not other dimensions of mobility such as exertion. The paper reports timed mobility performance and dimensionality, not falls, disability, or treatment effects.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The article is listed as supported by NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research.

Do not use these results as evidence that a mobility intervention works. The study measured baseline times in older adults selected for hypertension and white matter lesions, and it did not compare treated and untreated groups.