Objective: To develop and examine the psychometric properties of the Three Times Sit-to-Stand Test (TTSST) to evaluate its functional capacity and to predict the risk of fall in community-dwelling elderly.

Material and Method: Thirty-six subjects aged older than 60 years, who experienced fall or non-fall, were tested for their functional ability using the TTSST and the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST).

Results: The data demonstrated excellent reliability (ICCs = 0.943-0.991) and could clearly distinguish the ability of falling and non-falling subjects. In addition, the TTSST showed significant correlation with the FTSST (r = 0.942, p<0.001), and was an excellent fall indicator (sensitivity 88.89%, specificity 100%, AUC = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.81-1.00).

Conclusion: The TTSST is a valid and reliable method for assessing fall risk factors of community-dwelling elderly. We recommend a TTSST greater than 4.54 seconds as the optimal cut-off score for reliable fall risk prediction for the elderly.

Keywords: Elderly, Fall, Functional tool, Sit-to-stand, Physical therapy