- Hi, I'm Bob Schrupp, physical therapist.
- Brad Heineck, physical therapist.
- And together we are the most famous physical therapists
on the internet.
- In our opinion, of course, Bob.
- Alright, Brad, we just did the Berg Balance test
or Berg Balance Scale
and we demonstrated how to do that in our last video
and we're now gonna go over how to interpret the results.
Now this is a more in-depth interpretation
of the results, but I think it's the most helpful.
- Right.
So the Berg Balance test, just a quick review is
if you want to interpret if someone is a high risk
for falls or what level of risk of fall they have,
whether they need a cane, a walker, a wheelchair.
Typically it's an older person, but it could be any age.
- Very well said, Brad.
Let's jump right into it.
Can you see this okay?
I think you can read this, can't you?
- [Brad] Well, we've got it zoomed in.
That's why we're bobbing our head in and out, Bob,
because our camera person is on vacation, so to speak.
- [Bob] So the score can be from anywhere from zero to 56.
There's 14 items on the test and
after you've done the 14 items
and you've tallied up the score,
you then wanna look and see what they have.
Let's start from the top, right, Brad?
- [Brad] Sure or the bottom.
- [Bob] If they have less than 20,
they're pretty much considered wheelchair bound.
- [Brad] So zero to 20 people are in a wheelchair.
- [Bob] Yeah.
If they're less than 40,
they're at a significant risk for falling.
- [Brad] So in other words,
they're probably gonna need standby
or a walker, some kind of...
- [Bob] No, they're gonna need somebody holding onto them.
- [Brad] They're okay.
- Yeah, somebody actually needs to hold onto 'em,
that's even with a walker.
- [Brad] Okay.
- [Bob] All right, if they're less than 36,
their fall risk is close to a hundred percent
especially without a front-wheeled walker.
- [Brad] Okay.
- [Bob] I'm not sure why they threw that one in there
but they did.
All right, 20 to 40
they're gonna need a front-wheeled walker with assistance.
- [Brad] So...
- [Bob] These kind of jump around.
- [Brad] Right, right.
- [Bob] I see, but this is just to give you some ideas.
If they're 41 to 44
they could be independent with a front-wheeled walker.
That means they don't need anybody to help assist them.
They can go ahead and walk around
with that front-wheeled walker.
- [Brad] Sure.
- [Bob] 45 to 47.
They have safe ambulation with a cane indoors and outdoors.
- [Brad] And if you're watching this and you're not familiar
with the term ambulation, you're not a therapist.
That means they're safe with walking.
- [Bob] Right.
Where are we at?
47 to 48 to 49.5.
I don't know what that means
but they can use a cane outdoors,
but indoors they actually don't need to use anything at all.
- [Brad] Sure.
- Alright.
And then the last one, 50 to 56.
This person's pretty much considered safe, Brad.
They don't need to use any type of walking aid.
And they can pretty much can do everything.
- [Brad] They can walk around on the grass.
- Outside, yeah. - [Brad] On the flat.
And again, I mentioned on this, you know
Bob's talking about, he doesn't know what that means
but he really, we really do.
These are not set in stone.
It's a pretty varied thing.
It kind of gives you an idea
but every individual...
- [Bob] Right. - Is gonna be different.
One individual could be at a 20 to 40, maybe have a 32
and with a front-wheeled walker may need
just a little assistance and it's gonna vary.
- [Bob] Yeah.
- [Brad] There's just variables and chance.
- Yeah, I think the thing that we've found
or I found, Brad, is really depends on their cognition too
or their ability to think.
If you have somebody with dementia
and they score pretty high
but they have really poor judgment...
- [Brad] Uh-huh.
- You're probably gonna make them want
to use more of a gait aid or more of a walker
or more of a cane than someone who isn't.
- [Brad] Right.
- So that's why these are good.
It's a good starting point to figure out what you know
to do with them after you've scored 'em on the test
but you still have to use some judgment.
- [Brad] Sure, all right. - [Bob] All right.
- [Brad] So the Berg Balance test in a nutshell...
- [Bob] Berg Balance scale.
- Okay, so..
- [Bob] Thumbs up, Brad.
- Oh, thumbs up.
And if you're 40 and over, continue to subscribe
to us because we'll give more helpful information
about this kind of thing.
- [Bob] Right.
Do a thumb.
- [Brad] Oh, oh, thumb fight.
- [Bob] Yeah, thumb fight.
- [Brad] Come on, I'll take you on.
- [Bob] All right.
- [Brad] Argh, you cheated. - [Bob] Argh, ah!
(Brad claps)