Are You a Fall Risk? A Few Simple Tests Will Help You Find Out

Are You a Fall Risk? A Few Simple Tests Will Help You Find Out

Most people feel they are fine and not at risk but the numbers don't lie. Every year in the United States almost one third of our senior population experience a fall. And of those, 10% result in a serious injury requiring medical attention. So how can you tell if you are at a risk of falling? There are a few simple tests that can be preformed by your doctor or physical therapist to help you find out. There is even a simple test you can do yourself that has shown to be a great predictor of fall risk.

Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool

The Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool is a two part test that takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. The first part of the test evaluates simple activities ranging from sitting in a chair to standing with your eyes closed. The second part determines your gait score and measures gait quality assessing things such as your step length and step symmetry. The score for both parts of the test are added together to give you your total. The Tinetti test is a bit involved so it is recommended it be done by your doctor or physical therapist.

Berg Balance Scale

The Berg Balance Scale is a 14 item test used to determine fall risk in older adults. This test does not use gait to assess fall risk but rather uses a more comprehensive set of tests to measure standing balance which is a strong predictor of fall risk. The test takes about 15-20 minutes to complete and requires a few pieces of equipment such as a footstool, stopwatch and chairs. This test is also a bit too involved for the untrained individual so it is also recommended that it be done by your doctor or physical therapist.

TUG Test (Timed Up & Go)

This is the test that anyone can do. Although it should really be done with at least supervision. Quiet simply the test measures how quickly you can stand up from a regular chair with arms, walk 3 meters then return to a seated position in the chair. You should wear your regular footwear and use any assistive device (cane, walker, etc.) that you would normally use during ambulation. You should not be physically assisted by another person.

Results in the TUG Test correlate highly with balance, functional level, speed and the ability to safely leave your home. A normal elderly adult can usually complete the test in 10 seconds or less. Tests that take 14 seconds or more are associated with a high fall risk.

So, not sure if you or your loved one is a falls risk? Time to get up and go!

David has been practicing Physical Therapy in Florida since 1999. He specializes in Home Health and Senior Safety. David is also President of Alert 365 Medical Alert Systems and Monitoring. If you would like more information about the medical alert systems offered at Alert 365 go tohttp://www.alert365.com. Or visithttp://www.alert365.wordpress.com to read and/or subscribe to our blog.

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