Functional reach of older adults: normative reference values based on new and published data.

OBJECTIVES: To provide normative reference values for the standing functional reach test for older adults.

DESIGN: Observational study and meta-analysis of data from published studies.

SETTING: Clinical Research Center.

PARTICIPANTS: Older adults: 199 hypertensive from INFINITY study and 7535 from consolidation of INFINITY and 20 other studies.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Functional reach.

RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation) for functional reach for the hypertensive older adults was 27.5 (7.2) cm. For the consolidated sample of older adults, a random effects model determined a weighted mean (standard error) functional reach of 27.2 (0.9) cm with a 95% confidence interval of 25.5 to 28.9cm.

CONCLUSION: Pending the availability of data from a large population-based study, the summary data presented herein can serve as a reasonable estimate of normal functional reach for older adults.