Berg Balance Scale
14-item balance assessment predicting fall risk.
Inputs
0 of 14Sitting to standing
Standing unsupported
Sitting unsupported
Standing to sitting
Transfers
Standing with eyes closed
Standing with feet together
Reaching forward with outstretched arm
Retrieving object from floor
Turning to look behind
Turning 360 degrees
Placing alternate foot on stool
Standing with one foot in front
Standing on one foot
When to use
- Fall-risk assessment in older adults or after stroke.
Pearls and pitfalls
- 45 or less is commonly used as the fall-risk cutoff.
- A change of about 4 to 7 points is meaningful depending on baseline.
Why use
The most widely used clinical balance measure.
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Sitting to standing: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Standing unsupported: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Sitting unsupported: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Standing to sitting: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Transfers: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Standing with eyes closed: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Standing with feet together: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Reaching forward with outstretched arm: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Retrieving object from floor: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Turning to look behind: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Turning 360 degrees: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Placing alternate foot on stool: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Standing with one foot in front: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |
| Standing on one foot: 0 | 0 |
| 1 | +1 |
| 2 | +2 |
| 3 | +3 |
| 4 | +4 |