What is the MDC for the TUG?

What is the MDC for the TUG?

• A. 1.0 s
• B. 2.5 s
• C. 3.5 s
• D. 5.0 s

Answer: (B)

The main idea is Minimal Detectable Change at 95% confidence: the smallest difference in a TUG time that reflects real change beyond what you’d expect from measurement error or day-to-day variability. For the Timed Up and Go, in knee rehab populations, this threshold is commonly about 2.5 seconds. So if a patient’s TUG time improves or worsens by roughly 2.5 seconds or more on retesting, you can be reasonably confident the change is real and functionally meaningful, not just noise or a learning effect. Changes smaller than that could simply reflect measurement variability. In practice, MDC is derived from the test’s reliability and variability (MDC_95 = 1.96 × sqrt(2) × SEM, with SEM depending on the standard deviation and the ICC). The 2.5-second value is a widely used benchmark for knee-related mobility assessments, making it the best fit among the given options.

The main idea is Minimal Detectable Change at 95% confidence: the smallest difference in a TUG time that reflects real change beyond what you’d expect from measurement error or day-to-day variability. For the Timed Up and Go, in knee rehab populations, this threshold is commonly about 2.5 seconds. So if a patient’s TUG time improves or worsens by roughly 2.5 seconds or more on retesting, you can be reasonably confident the change is real and functionally meaningful, not just noise or a learning effect. Changes smaller than that could simply reflect measurement variability.

In practice, MDC is derived from the test’s reliability and variability (MDC_95 = 1.96 × sqrt(2) × SEM, with SEM depending on the standard deviation and the ICC). The 2.5-second value is a widely used benchmark for knee-related mobility assessments, making it the best fit among the given options.