Berg Balance Scale (related balance measure)
Draft — clinical review requiredA balance measure — not a direct gait measure — rating static and dynamic balance tasks.
Version shown: Published Berg form.
Before / after comparison
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Compare the change with measurement error and meaningful-change values for the same population and protocol, citing the source. Same protocol, aid and conditions on both occasions.Go deeper
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What it measures
- Static and dynamic balance in sitting and standing tasks.
Populations and purposes
- Older adults and neurological populations.
Equipment and space
- Chairs, step, stopwatch, ruler; published form.
Administration overview
- Fourteen tasks rated by the examiner using the published instructions.
- Use the full validated protocol (linked below) when testing patients.
Scoring and units
- Each item 0–4; total 0–56.
Meaning of a higher or lower score
- Higher scores reflect better balance.
Interpretation example
- Use alongside a gait measure; it does not describe walking itself.
Limitations
- Ceiling effect in active people; does not include walking tasks.
- Norms, fall-risk thresholds, MDC and MCID differ by population and protocol; they are not universal. Measurement error is not the same as clinically meaningful change.
Apply it
The Berg Balance Scale is…
Sources and review status
Draft — clinical review required
Starting points for verification. Validated protocols are linked where available; clinical content has not yet been reviewed.
Learning objectives
- Distinguish a balance measure from a gait measure.
- Describe the scoring range.
- Pair it appropriately with gait measures.