How to use the four-stage balance and TUG comparison
Hold each of the four stances in turn and enter how many seconds each one lasted. The tool shows whether 10 seconds was reached and how much was missing. Stage 1 is feet side by side, stage 2 places the heel of one foot beside the big toe of the other, stage 3 is the full tandem with one heel directly in front of the other toes, and stage 4 is standing on one foot. Time a rise from a chair, a 10-foot walk, a turn and a return to sitting, and that is compared with its own mark.
The marks come from the fall prevention initiative of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as checked in October 2026. A full tandem stance held under 10 seconds is a signal, and a timed up and go of 12 seconds or more is a signal, so the two point in opposite directions. The walking mark is cited in the literature anywhere from 12 to 14 seconds, and there are objections that no single cutoff holds for every population, so this page reports only the comparison with 12 seconds and assigns no score or tier. The agency likewise does not treat any single test as sufficient.
A fall can happen during the test. Stay within arms reach of a wall or sturdy furniture, have someone beside the person ready to steady them, and work on a flat, non-slip floor. If balance starts to go while straining to hold a stance, the right move is to put the foot down and stop, then enter however many seconds were held.
This comparison is not a medical assessment. If there has been a recent fall, if vision dims on standing, if walking drifts to one side, or if numb feet have dulled the sense of the floor, ask a clinician for a fall risk evaluation and a medication review regardless of these times.
Frequently Asked Questions
The two tests measure opposite things. Holding the tandem stance longer is better, so failing to reach 10 seconds is the signal. Finishing the walk faster is better, so taking 12 seconds or more is the signal.
It cannot be read that way. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not treat this test alone as sufficient and pairs it with strength tests such as the chair stand, plus a review of medications and past falls.
That line reports the value as not entered and only the four balance stances are compared. Add a time and the comparison with the 12-second mark appears alongside.