Table 1 Brief description of the functional performance and physical fitness tests.

Functional Performance tests

chair rise

Time to rise from a straight-backed chair five times as fast as possible,

if possible with the arms folded across the chest [38].

time (s)

walking eight meters

Time to walk 8 meters as fast as possible with or without

usual walking aid [39]. Best of two trials [39].

time (s)

putting a coat on and off

Time needed to put a lab coat on and off [40].

time (s)

picking up a pen

Time needed to pick up a pen

from the floor while standing [41].

time (s)

Physical Fitness Tests

Muscle strength

Measured by hand held dynamometers (Micro-Fet2, Hoggan Health Industries Inc.,

Almere, The Netherlands).

Best of three trials.

knee extension

The subject is seated, extending the knee

against the resistance of the examiner.

N/m

dorsal flexion ankle

The subject is lying in supine position, flexing

the ankle against the resistance of the examiner.

N/m

elbow extension

The subject is lying in supine position, extending the elbow

against the resistance of the examiner.

N/m

Coordination

one leg stance

Time a subject is able to stand on one leg [41].

Best of two trials.

time (s)

tandem stance

Time a subject is able to stand on two legs, with the heel of one foot

directly in front of and touching the toes of the other foot, with eyes opened [41,42]. Best of two trials.

time (s)

eye-hand-coordination

Time to transfer 40 blocks from a full board to an empty board in a prescribed sequence

as quickly as possible with the preferred hand [23,43,44].

time (s)

reaction time

Time to react to the onset of a light by pushing a button

as fast as possible. Median of 15 trials [23].

time (s)

Flexibility shoulder circumduction

Best of three trials.

The subject is instructed to bring a rope, with a fixed and a movable handle,

symmetrically over the head and behind the body while keeping the arms extended

and the hands as close together as possible [23].

cm

sit and reach

The subject is instructed to sit on the floor, legs outstretched,

in front of a standard 'sit-and-reach' box.

The subject has to push bending forward [23].

cm