1. Frailty Phenotype
FRAILTY CRITERIA PRESENT
NOT
PRESENT
Poor Grip Strength
Meets criteria for frailty if grip strength (average of 3
trials, dominant hand) is:
Men
 ≤ 29 kg for BMI ≤ 24
 ≤ 30 kg for BMI 24.1–26
 ≤ 30 kg for BMI 26.1–28
 ≤ 32 kg for BMI >28
Women
 ≤ 17 kg for BMI ≤ 23
 ≤ 17.3 kg for BMI 23.1–26
 ≤ 18 kg for BMI 26.1–29
 ≤ 21 kg for BMI > 29
Slow Walking Speed
Meets criteria for frailty if walking speed (average of 2
15 feet trials) is:
Men
 ≥ 7 seconds for height ≤ 173 cm
 ≥ 6 seconds for height > 173 cm
Women
 ≥ 7 seconds for height ≤ 159cm
 ≥ 6 seconds for height > 159cm
Low Level of Physical Activity
Meets criteria for frailty if physical activity level per
week is:
 Men: ≤ 383 kcals
 Women: ≤ 270 kcals
 Based on the following activities:
o Walking for exercise, moderately
strenuous household chores, mowing or
raking the lawn, gardening, hiking,
jogging, biking, exercise cycle, dancing,
aerobics, bowling, golf, singles or doubles
tennis, racquetball, calisthenics,
swimming
 kcals expended per week formula:
o kcal/week = [activity-specific MET
(kcal/kg × hour) ] × [duration per session
(min) / 60 min] × [body weight (kg)] ×
[number of sessions per week]

2. Self-reported Exhaustion
Meets criteria for frailty if answer is “moderate or most
of the time” for either question:
 I felt that everything I did was an effort in the last
week:
o Rarely or none of the time (<1 day)
o Some or little of the time (1 to 2 days)
o Moderate amount of the time (3 to 4 days)
o Most of the time
 I could not get going in the last week:
o Rarely or none of the time (<1 day)
o Some or little of the time (1 to 2 days)
o Moderate amount of time (3 to 4 days)
o Most of the time
Unintentional Weight Loss
Meets criteria for frailty if patient lost > 10 lb
unintentionally in the last year
TOTAL:
FRAIL CATEGORY
 Nonfrail: No criteria factors present.
 Prefrail: 1 or 2 criteria factors present.
 Frail: 3 or more criteria factors present.
References
American Geriatrics Society. (2012). Geriatrics evaluation & management tools. Retrieved from
http://familymed.uthscsa.edu/gerifellowship/redirect/articles/CLC/Geriatrics%20Eval%20Manageme
nt%20Tool%20for%20Frailty.pdf
American Physical Therapy Association, (2011). Physical therapist’s guide to sarcopenia and frailty
[Website]. Retrieved from
http://www.moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail.aspx?cid=a5b541cf-6cd4-406890bb-
cdc13753b2b1#.VW36Oc9Vikp
Chen, X., Mao, G., & Leng, S. X. (2014). Frailty syndrome: An overview. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 9,
433-441. doi:10.2147/CIA.S45300
Fried LP, Tangen CM, Walston J, et al. (2001). Frailty in older adults: Evidence for a phenotype. Journal of
Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 56A:3, M146–M156.