Functional reach test: Establishing the reference value in healthy adults of Gujarat, India

Abstract

Context: Functional reach test (FRT) is a quick and simple, single-task dynamic test to measure the balance of an individual during functional task and is considered to be a predictor of fall in older adults. There is a lack of availability of data from a large population-based study, especially in India. Aim: The aim of the present study is to establish the reference value for FRT in healthy adults of Gujarat, India. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional, observational study. Five hundred and twenty-one healthy individuals, aged 40–70 years, were recruited based on convenience sampling. All the participants were made to perform FRT in a controlled environment in community. Three readings of the actual test were obtained and averaged. Results: Data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation, confidence intervals (confidence interval 95%), and Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) with α = 0.05 by the age groups (40–50, 51–60, 61–70 years) and gender. The mean FRT value for healthy adults of Gujarat (age 40–70 years) was found to be 34.94 ± 3.9 cm and 33.43 ± 3.69 cm for males and females, respectively. It also showed significant negative correlation with weight and body mass index and also demonstrated age-related decline for both male and female participants. Conclusion: The reference value for FRT in healthy adults was found to be 34.18 (±3.79) cm. These large population-based data can be used as a reference with a specific age group considering due variability with regards to age, sex, anthropometric measures, genetics, and geographical changes.