Instrumented Timed Up and Go (iTUG): A Systematic Review of Parameters Across Healthy, Older, and Neurological Populations

Background: The use of inertial measurement units (IMUs) in the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test enables the quantitative assessment of functional performance and mobility. It allows for the determination not only of the total test completion time, but also of the durations of individual phases, as well as the derivation of spatiotemporal gait parameters and turning velocity. The aim of this review article was to compile parameters of the instrumented Timed Up and Go (iTUG) test and to identify the parameters most commonly analyzed in populations of healthy adults, older adults, and patients with neurological disorders. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases. The authors included studies in which commercial IMUs were used during the TUG test and quantitative parameters were analyzed. Methodological quality was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for cross-sectional studies. Results: A total of 36 studies were included in the review. Only those disease entities represented by at least four studies were included in the tabular analysis. The study presents results for a total of 1268 individuals, including 192 healthy adults, 514 older adults, 230 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and 332 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The analysis showed that temporal parameters, particularly the total test duration and the durations of individual phases, were the most commonly reported across all populations. Conclusions: Turning-related parameters were analyzed frequently, whereas spatiotemporal parameters were assessed less often. The results indicate a lack of standardization both in the selection of iTUG parameters as well as in the measurement methods and systems used.