Utilizing Key Physical Therapy Tools: Assessing Your Balance

According to the Centers for Disease Control, $50 billion is spent per year on fall-related medical costs.

On another shocking note, 1 in 4 adults over 65 fall each year. That number almost doubles for those above 85.

Fall prevention is one area of physical therapy I have found a passion for mostly because I'm exposed to it more and more each year. And not just for those older adults. I can assure you I see an almost equal amount of patients in their forties and fifties for fall injuries too.

As the amount of older adults grows, fall prevention exercises and programs should be paramount to any physical therapy clinic.

And to determine your need for a fall prevention exercise program, we first need to assess your balance.

I use two basic assessments for all my patients when testing for balance.

1. 30 second sit to stand test

2. Single-leg stance test

Both tests are fairly common across all practices and widely accepted. They are also easy to perform at home with limited tools required.

Normal scores for the 30-second sit-to-stand test are as follows:

1. Men over 65 >16 repetitions

2. Women over 65 >15 repetitions

Anything less is an indication of a fall risk.

The normal score for the single-leg stance test is >10 seconds on each leg without loss of balance. Anything less is an indication of a fall risk.

As our population continues to age, falls are becoming more prevalent and prevention is becoming more paramount. Utilize these assessments to determine your level of need for a fall prevention exercise program. And stay tuned for future posts which will include exercises to help improve your balance.