Tinetti Balance Test
Assess your elderly patient’s risk of falling by having them take the Tinetti Balance Test! See how they fare with standing up from an armless chair and measure their gait to get a sense of their risk of falling!
Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.
What is the Tinetti Balance Test?
(also known as the Tinetti Balance and Gait Assessment) is a useful tool that is used by physical therapists when checking on their elderly patients, specifically when they need to determine if they are at risk of falling.
The test comes in two parts:
- The first part requires a sturdy armless chair. For this test, the elderly patient must stand up, turn 360 degrees, and then sit back down.
- The second part will have them walk a 15-meter distance back and forth on an even walkway or space. The initial walk will be at their normal pace while their return walk will be at a faster pace.
Throughout these parts, the physical therapist conducting the test will evaluate the patient based on certain factors related to their balance, and the total score (the sum of both tests) will determine if the elderly patient is at risk of falling.
Printable Tinetti Balance Test
Download this Tinetti Balance Test and assess your client’s risk of falling.
How to conduct the Tinetti Balance Test
Prepare the necessary equipment for the test.
Before conducting the test, make sure that you have the following:
- A stopwatch (to see how long it takes for them to complete each test)
- A sturdy armless chair
- A walking space that spans 15 meters (the flooring must be even and not slippery)
- Tape (or something that can be used) to mark a 15-meter distance
- Yardstick to measure the distance
Please note that the patient can use standing aids/walking aids.
Start the first test.
The first test will be the balance assessment, which involves the armless chair. Follow these steps:
- Instruct the patient to sit down first and then give them the gist of what they will be doing.
- Once they are instructed and ready, observe their sitting balance first.
- Then tell the patient to stand up from the chair without using their arms or hands as support.
- Observe their immediate standing balance (first 5 seconds), then their standing balance in general (after the first 5 seconds).
- While standing, tell your patient to move their feet as close together as possible.
- Next, you will gently nudge your patient’s sternum with the palm of your hand three times while their eyes are open.
- After that, gently nudge your patient’s sternum with your palm three times again, but this time, while their eyes are closed.
- Lastly, make your patient turn 360 degrees then have them sit back down.
Score the first test.
The Tinetti Balance Test comes with sheets where you can indicate the scores based on the observations you made while conducting the tests. The section for the first test has ten items to be scored. It has a maximum score of 16.
Conduct the second test.
This part requires a spacious area with a flat, smooth surface. There should be more than enough space that your elderly patient can walk a 15-meter distance back and forth. Once you are in this space, do the following:
- Pull some tape or something else that can be used to mark a 15-meter distance. Have a yard stick to properly measure this.
- The patient will begin standing at the tip of the distance marker.
- Tell them “Go” and have them walk to the other end of the distance marker at their normal walking pace.
- Then, have them turn around and return to the opposite end at a quicker but safe pace.
- Tell them “Stop” as soon as they are right back at the beginning of the distance marker.
Make sure that you’re walking alongside your patient to provide support and safety when needed.
Score the second test.
The section for the second test has 8 items to be scored. It has a maximum score of 12.
Calculate the total score.
Once you have both scores, add them. The maximum score is 28.
Here are the score ranges and their respective designations, so you know how to assess their risk of falling:
Determine your care plan after coming to a conclusion.
Once you have come to the conclusion as to how at risk they are of falling, come up with a care plan that accommodates this and covers how the patient needs to be assisted.
Tinetti Balance Test Example
Here’s a filled-out Tinetti Balance Test sample so you know what it generally looks like.
You may download a digital and editable copy of the Tinetti Balance Assessment on Carepatron and use it for your physical therapy practice!
Download this Tinetti Balance Test Example (Sample) here:
When should I administer the Tinetti Balance Test?
If you’re handling an elderly patient and they are suspected to be at risk of falling due to their age or because of comorbidities, then it’s best to have them take this test as soon as possible. This will allow you to gauge how at risk they are of falling while standing up or walking.
It doesn’t have to be a one-time thing, too. It’s recommended that you administer this test multiple times in order to arrive at a more informed conclusion.
Who can administer the Tinetti Gait and Balance Test and whom is it for?
Any physical therapist, especially those who treat geriatric patients, are the ones who can use this test.
It was specifically designed for elderly patients aged 65+, but it’s not limited to just elderly patients. This can also be administered to patients with the following:
- Dementia
- Frailty syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke
- Anxiety
- Diabetes
- Sarcopenia
- Sleep disorders
- Hearing impairments
- Vision impairments
- Cardiovascular issues
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Why use Carepatron for physical therapy software?
If you’re a physical therapist or an adjacent healthcare practitioner, you’ll enjoy using Carepatron for your practice.
Our platform has an easy-to-navigate EHR system and it has a wide variety of worksheets and assessments that you can use to help you out, such as the Tinetti Balance Test!
Carepatron allows easy access to clinical documentation, anytime, anywhere, whether you’re using a desktop, laptop, or just a mobile phone. Let’s say you have a patient that’s scheduled to take a test, but they can’t visit your clinic or the hospital you work for. You can just opt for a house call and access a digital and editable PDF version of the Tinetti Test.
You can even store the results of the Tinetti Balance Test on our platform in a HIPAA-compliant manner, plus, secure them by setting up who can access these documents besides you. We’re the perfect place to create backups of your clinical documentation!
Convenience. Accessibility. Security. You get all three with Carepatron.
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Commonly asked questions
Yes, especially if you administer it multiple times across a stretch of time. By administering it multiple times, you will notice consistencies, enough for you to make an informed conclusion as to how at risk the patient is of falling down. There are score range designations for you to rely on, and if they keep falling under a certain score range for several consecutive tests, then it’s safe to designate their level of risk.
Ideally, yes. But if you’d rather do it via house call, you just need to make sure that there’s a sturdy armless chair that can be used for the first test and enough space in the patient’s abode for the second test. Just don’t forget to bring tape (or something that can be used to mark a 15-meter distance) and a yardstick so you can properly administer the second part of the test.
It is relatively safe. Since this is primarily administered to elderly patients, there is a chance that they might fall down while doing the test, but the therapist conducting the test SHOULD be there to make sure that nothing bad happens. They will be by the patient’s side at all times for both tests, so it’s best to trust the therapist.
