Table 3.

Steps to select a measurement tool to assess physical function [ 26, 28, 55]

	Clinician/researcher needs to assess physical function characteristics
	Available tools		CRF	Isometric dynamo meter	hand dynamo meter	1RM	Walk test	Transition testa	SPPB	Self- report
Content	Clinical practice: behaviour counselling/risk stratification	Suitable	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
		Less suitable		✓
	Research	Suitable	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
		Less suitable		✓
Consideration of outcome	Type of activity to be measured	Physiological impairment	✓	✓	✓	✓
		Functional limitations					✓	✓	✓
		Functional disability								✓
	Aspect of activity to be measured	CRF	✓				✓
		Muscular fitness		✓	✓	✓
		Mobility and performance					✓	✓	✓
		Perception of functional ability								✓
Feasibility and practically	Cost of tool	Limited					✓	✓	✓	✓
		Medium	✓		✓	✓
		High		✓
	Sample size/ participants to be measuredb	Low to medium	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
		High			✓		✓	✓	✓	✓
	Patient/participant burdenc	Low			✓		✓	✓	✓	✓
		Medium	✓	✓		✓
Resources	Staff burdend	Low			✓		✓	✓	✓	✓
		Medium				✓
		High	✓	✓
	Data processing/transfer/summarization	Easy/fast			✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
		More difficult/ less fast	✓	✓
Assessing	Time needed for assessment	<5 min			✓		✓	✓
		5–10 min					✓		✓	✓
		>10 min	✓	✓		✓
	Immediate feedback for patient/participant/health professional	Yes	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
		No

^aTransition test is chair stand test or sit-to-stand test, stair climb test and the timed up and go test.

^bLow to medium: tests can be performed in smaller groups and are less feasible for very large populations; high: tests are easy to perform and are feasible in large populations.

^cLow: tests are easy to perform by the patient and tasks are clear and simple; medium: tests are less easy to perform and require maximal or submaximal effort.

^dLow: assessment is quick (<10 min) and no data processing required; medium: assessment is longer (>10 min) and no data processing required; high: assessment is longer (>10 min) and requires data processing.