Use of the Berg Balance Test to predict falls in elderly persons

Department of Physical Therapy, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital, Malvern, PA 19355, USA.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Berg balance test could be used to predict an elderly person's risk of falling. SUBJECTS. Sixty-six residents of two independent life-care communities, aged 69 to 94 years (X = 79.2, SD = 6.2), participated. METHODS. Subjects completed a questionnaire pertaining to their fall history and activity level. The Berg balance test, consisting of 14 functional subtests, was then administered. Six months later, subjects again completed the questionnaire. RESULTS. Performance of activities of daily living predicted 43% of the subjects' scores. There was a difference between the subjects who were prone to falling and those who were not prone to falling, but the test demonstrated poor sensitivity for predicting who would fall. The specificity of the test was very strong. The use of an assistive device was a strong predictor of performance on the Berg balance test. No relationship was noted between increasing age and decreasing performance on the Berg balance test. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION. Although the Berg balance test demonstrated only 53% sensitivity, the results support the test developers' use of 45 (out of 56) as a generalized cutoff score. Older adults who scored higher than the cutoff score on the test were less likely to fall than were those adults who scored below the cutoff score. Decreased scores, however, did not predict increased frequency of falls. Results must be viewed cautiously because self-report was the sole means of documenting fall history.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. W Muir, K. Berg, B. Chesworth, and M. Speechley Use of the Berg Balance Scale for Predicting Multiple Falls in Community-Dwelling Elderly People: A Prospective Study Physical Therapy, April 1, 2008; 88(4): 449 - 459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. E Dibble, J. Christensen, D J. Ballard, and K B. Foreman Diagnosis of Fall Risk in Parkinson Disease: An Analysis of Individual and Collective Clinical Balance Test Interpretation Physical Therapy, March 1, 2008; 88(3): 323 - 332. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F.W. Ng, R. K.Y. Tong, and L. S.W. Li A Pilot Study of Randomized Clinical Controlled Trial of Gait Training in Subacute Stroke Patients With Partial Body-Weight Support Electromechanical Gait Trainer and Functional Electrical Stimulation: Six-Month Follow-Up Stroke, January 1, 2008; 39(1): 154 - 160. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. D. Cakit, M. Saracoglu, H. Genc, H. R. Erdem, and L. Inan The effects of incremental speed-dependent treadmill training on postural instability and fear of falling in Parkinson's disease Clinical Rehabilitation, August 1, 2007; 21(8): 698 - 705. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Swanenburg, E. D. de Bruin, M. Stauffacher, T. Mulder, and D. Uebelhart Effects of exercise and nutrition on postural balance and risk of falling in elderly people with decreased bone mineral density: randomized controlled trial pilot study Clinical Rehabilitation, June 1, 2007; 21(6): 523 - 534. [Abstract] [PDF]

				V. Scott, K. Votova, A. Scanlan, and J. Close Multifactorial and functional mobility assessment tools for fall risk among older adults in community, home-support, long-term and acute care settings Age Ageing, March 1, 2007; 36(2): 130 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Morris, R. H. Harwood, R. Baker, O. Sahota, S. Armstrong, and T. Masud A comparison of different balance tests in the prediction of falls in older women with vertebral fractures: a cohort study Age Ageing, January 1, 2007; 36(1): 78 - 83. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Edwards, C. B. Langman, K. Martinez, M. Johnson, M. L. Mille, and M. W. Rogers Women with wrist fractures are at increased risk for future fractures because of both skeletal and non-skeletal risk factors Age Ageing, July 1, 2006; 35(4): 438 - 441. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-P. Chiu, S. L Fritz, K. E Light, and C. A Velozo Use of Item Response Analysis to Investigate Measurement Properties and Clinical Validity of Data for the Dynamic Gait Index Physical Therapy, June 1, 2006; 86(6): 778 - 787. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. E Harris, J. J Eng, D. S Marigold, C. D Tokuno, and C. L Louis Relationship of Balance and Mobility to Fall Incidence in People With Chronic Stroke Physical Therapy, February 1, 2005; 85(2): 150 - 158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. S. Pohl, S. Perera, P. W. Duncan, R. Maletsky, R. Whitman, and S. Studenski Gains in Distance Walking in a 3-Month Follow-Up Poststroke: What Changes? Neurorehabil Neural Repair, March 1, 2004; 18(1): 30 - 36. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Cormack and C. M Powers Is there evidence that botulinum toxin injections are more effective than phenol injections in relieving poststroke reflex activity during plantar flexion, thereby increasing ankle range of motion and improving gait function? Physical Therapy, January 1, 2004; 84(1): 76 - 84. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Hatch, K. M Gill-Body, and L. G Portney Determinants of Balance Confidence in Community-Dwelling Elderly People Physical Therapy, December 1, 2003; 83(12): 1072 - 1079. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. K Ness, J. G Gurney, and G. H Ice Screening, Education, and Associated Behavioral Responses to Reduce Risk for Falls Among People Over Age 65 Years Attending a Community Health Fair Physical Therapy, July 1, 2003; 83(7): 631 - 637. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. K Boulgarides, S. M McGinty, J. A Willett, and C. W Barnes Use of Clinical and Impairment-Based Tests to Predict Falls by Community-Dwelling Older Adults Physical Therapy, April 1, 2003; 83(4): 328 - 339. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. G. Janssen, H. B. Bussmann, and H. J Stam Determinants of the Sit-to-Stand Movement: A Review Physical Therapy, September 1, 2002; 82(9): 866 - 879. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Suteerawattananon, B. MacNeill, and E. J Protas Supported Treadmill Training for Gait and Balance in a Patient With Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Physical Therapy, May 1, 2002; 82(5): 485 - 495. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M Steffen, T. A Hacker, and L. Mollinger Age- and Gender-Related Test Performance in Community-Dwelling Elderly People: Six-Minute Walk Test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up & Go Test, and Gait Speeds Physical Therapy, February 1, 2002; 82(2): 128 - 137. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Wolf, H. Feys, W. De Weerdt, J. van der Meer, M. Noom, and G. Aufdemkampe Effect of a physical therapeutic intervention for balance problems in the elderly: A single-blind, randomized, controlled multicentre trial Clinical Rehabilitation, June 1, 2001; 15(6): 624 - 636. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. A. Geiger, J. B Allen, J. O'Keefe, and R. R Hicks Balance and Mobility Following Stroke: Effects of Physical Therapy Interventions With and Without Biofeedback/Forceplate Training Physical Therapy, April 1, 2001; 81(4): 995 - 1005. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. R. Baer and S. L. Wolf Modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile : An Outcome Measure for the Rehabilitation of Poststroke Gait Dysfunction Stroke, April 1, 2001; 32(4): 973 - 979. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				S. G. Brauer, Y. R. Burns, and P. Galley A Prospective Study of Laboratory and Clinical Measures of Postural Stability to Predict Community-Dwelling Fallers J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., August 1, 2000; 55(8): 469M - 476. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				P. K. Yim-Chiplis and L. A. Talbot Defining and Measuring Balance in Adults Biol Res Nurs, April 1, 2000; 1(4): 321 - 331. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. L Wolf, P. A Catlin, K. Gage, K. Gurucharri, R. Robertson, and K. Stephen Establishing the Reliability and Validity of Measurements of Walking Time Using the Emory Functional Ambulation Profile Physical Therapy, December 1, 1999; 79(12): 1122 - 1133. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. L Riddle and P. W Stratford Interpreting Validity Indexes for Diagnostic Tests: An Illustration Using the Berg Balance Test Physical Therapy, October 1, 1999; 79(10): 939 - 948. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]