Shamay S. M. Ng, Shirley S.M. Fong , Carrie W.L. Chan , Fiona M.C. Fung , Peter K.W. Pang, Nancy N.L. Tsang , Carson L.H. Yeung, Patrick W.H. Kwong , Mimi M.Y. Tse , Eric W.C. Tam
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China. E-mail: Shamay.Ng@polyu.edu.hk
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-1958

Objective: To investigate: (i) intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Timed Floor Transfer Test (FTT); (ii) validity of FTT times with stroke-specific impairments and functional mobility; and (iii) cut-off time that best discriminates people with stroke from healthy older adults.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: University-based rehabilitation laboratory.
Subjects: Forty-seven people with stroke and 35 healthy older adults.
Methods: FTT completion times were measured along with a Fugl-Meyer assessment of the lower extremities (FMA-LE); Five Times Sit-To-Stand Test (FTSTST) completion times, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores; Timed “Up & Go” (TUG) test; and assessment using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC).
Results: FTT completion times showed good to excellent intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability. The minimal detectable change of FTT completion times was 7. 7 s. A cut-off time of 8. 8 s was found to discriminate well between people with stroke and healthy older adults. The FTT times showed significant negative correlation with FMA-LE scores and BBS scores, and significant positive correlation with FTSTS completion times and TUG times.
Conclusion: The FTT is a reliable clinical test for assessing the floor-transfer ability of people with chronic stroke.