Arm support as hidden assistance during Sit-To-Stand movement: a systematic review

Clinical Snapshot

Key Findings

• P Value: Not reported at review level

• Effect Size: Not reported — no quantitative pooling performed; review is descriptive/narrative in nature

• Primary Outcome: Synthesis of outcome measures used to assess arm-assisted Sit-To-Stand across 47 studies in clinical and biomechanical contexts

• Nnt Or Sensitivity: Not applicable — no therapeutic efficacy or diagnostic accuracy data synthesised; the review catalogues measurement approaches (joint angles, STS duration, seat/foot/arm forces) rather than clinical effect estimates

• Confidence Interval: Not applicable — no meta-analysis conducted

Clinical Application

The review's practical observation — that joint angle measurement and STS duration timing are more clinically feasible than force plate or instrumented armrest measurements — is relevant for community physiotherapy and outpatient rehabilitation settings with limited biomechanical instrumentation. However, this conclusion is not derived from a rigorous comparative analysis of measurement tools. In the Australian context, STS training is a cornerstone of physiotherapy rehabilitation programs across aged care, neurological rehabilitation, and orthopaedic recovery settings, consistent with RACGP guidelines on falls prevention and functional mobility in older adults. The review's findings may inform physiotherapy assessment protocols under the NDIS and aged care frameworks, where standardised functional outcome measures are required. No specific PBS-listed devices or TGA-regulated assistive technologies are directly implicated. Australian physiotherapists should note that the absence of rigorous quality appraisal in this review means its conclusions should be interpreted cautiously and supplemented with higher-quality evidence from PEDro-indexed trials before modifying clinical STS assessment protocols. Adults with physical impairments requiring STS assistance, including older adults with reduced lower limb strength, stroke survivors, individuals with Parkinson's disease, osteoarthritis, or post-surgical deconditioning. The findings are most directly applicable to rehabilitation settings where STS training is a core functional goal.

Abstract

Sit-To-Stand (SitTS) training is often performed by patients who may require arm assistance to perform it successfully. This study examines the role of arms in performing the SitTS maneuver to better understand their contribution and clinical significance. This review synthesizes the reported outcome measures of arm-assisted SitTS exercise programs in people with physical impairments. Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus™ databases were searched for relevant studies up to May 2025. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to screen the titles and abstracts of articles identified using key search terms related to SitTS activity and arm support. Only articles that met the key terms were extracted and analyzed in this study. A total of 47 studies reported arm support measures during SitTS, either in clinical or biomechanical contexts. These studies highlighted various methods and tools used to assess the body's state during the rising movement. Joint angle and SitTS duration are clinically applicable and more easily measured compared to seat, foot, and arm forces which require specialized instrumentation. Balancing clinical measures with detailed biomechanical assessments is important in enabling practitioners and researchers to evaluate and enhance SitTS interventions that involve arm assistance, ultimately improving rehabilitation outcomes.

References

1. 1.Abd Aziz, M., Hamzaid, N. A., Manaf, H., & Abdul Malik, N. (2026). Arm support as hidden assistance during Sit-To-Stand movement: a systematic review. Biomedizinische Technik. Biomedical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomechanics3020023