A descriptive study of the annual mobility assessment

• The AMA, with review of results and providing recommendations, can be completed in under 30 minutes. • Results from the AMA indicated that 31.3% of participants had a mobility limitation or preclinical mobility limitation. • Cut-scores for preclinical mobility limitation should be examined in future studies. • 23.4% were recommended for a full physical therapy examination, and 46.9% referred to a community-based exercise program. • Correlations between self-reported and physical performance measures are low, indicating that they test different aspects of mobility, and both have value. Preclinical mobility limitations (PCML) begin with subtle changes that might not be perceived but often lead to loss of function. The newly developed Annual Mobility Assessment (AMA) was designed to identify PCML, but to date, there is no published data on the AMA. To examine the time requirements of the AMA, limitations detected with recommended age and sex normative data, explore the relationship between measures, and describe recommendations based on results. 64 participants, aged 55 years and older, were enrolled. The AMA includes self-reported mobility measures and physical performance tests; usual and fast gait speed, 30 second sit to stand, Four Square Step Test, Timed Up and Go (TUG), and TUG–Cognitive. Participants were classified as having a mobility limitation (ML), PCML, or no PCML based on comparison to normative data. Means and standard deviations were calculated around demographic data and the time required to complete the assessment. The frequency of classifications was counted and the correlation between measures examined. The AMA can be completed in under 30 minutes. The AMA identified ML or PCML in 31.3% of participants, 23.4% were recommended for a physical therapy examination, and 46.9% referred to a community-based exercise program. Correlation was low between self-reported and physical performance measures, but this may be due to AMA design. The AMA can be completed within a reasonable timeframe, detects limitations, and leads to actionable outcomes. Results raise questions around cut-scores and the relationship between measures, which may guide future updates to the AMA.