Five times sit-to-stand test for ambulatory individuals with spinal cord injury: a psychometric study on the effects of arm placements

Study design A psychometric study. Objectives To investigate the reliability and the concurrent validity of the five times sit-to-stand test (FTSST) during various arm placement conditions in ambulatory participants with spinal cord injury (SCI). In addition, the difficulty of the FTSST during various arm placement conditions was compared using the number, characteristics, and physical ability of those who could complete the conditions. Setting Rehabilitation centers and communities in Thailand. Methods Eighty-two participants were assessed for their physical ability and ability to complete the FTSST in four arm placement conditions, namely, arms on a walking device, arms on knees, arms free by sides, and arms crossed over the chest, according to their ability and in random order. Results The outcomes for all the FTSST conditions had excellent rater and test-retest reliability with a modest to strong correlation with their physical ability (rho = -0.39 to -0.72), and it is especially high for the condition with arms by sides. All participants could complete the conditions with arms on a walking device, and two-thirds of them could execute the other conditions. The physical ability of these individuals was significantly better, with the number of those with mild lesion severity being greater than those who could execute the FTSST with arms on a walking device (p <0.01). Conclusions Arm placements affected the psychometric properties and the ability to complete the FTSST of the participants. The current findings recommend the FTSST for ambulatory individuals with SCI using arms free by sides.