(Words “The Berg Balance Scale Test” appears in the middle of the screen with SCIRE’s logo on the bottom right corner.)
(Narrator reads out slide titled “Description.”)
Female Narrator: The Berg Balance Scale Test is a performance-based measure of balance.
It was originally developed for use with the elderly but has been used with a variety of other populations including stroke, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and more recently, with spinal cord injured patients.
(Narrator reads out slide titled “Procedure.”)
The Berg Balance Scale includes 14 tasks of progressing difficulty related to balance while reaching, bending, transferring, and standing.
(Clip of a man with SCI performing several tasks including walking in a circle, lifting a leg without support, standing with one foot in front of the other, reaching in front of himself without moving his feet, and reaching for something on the ground, while an observer grades man’s performance.)
When used in the Spinal Cord Injury population, the Berg Balance Scale is only applicable to individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury who retain some ability to stand and walk.
When performing the Berg Balance Scale Test, each task is performed by the patient and rated by an observer on a 5-point scale.
Scale ranges from 0, meaning the patient cannot perform the task, to 4, meaning the patient can normally perform the task.
The score of each test is added up to obtain a total score.
The total score for the Berg Balance Scale ranges from 0, for severely impaired balance, to 56, for excellent balance.
While performing the Berg Balance Scale Test, it is important that the rater both observes the patient performing each of the tasks and ensures that the patient doesn’t fall.
(Narrator reads out slide titled “Equipment Required.”)
To perform the Berg Balance Scale Test, you will require 2 standard chairs (1 with arms and 1 without), a stopwatch, a step or stepstool, and a ruler.
(Narrator reads out slide titled “Interpretation.”)
Interpretation.
Note that the following interpretation has not been validated with SCI populations, but generally, results from studies of older adults suggest that scores between 0 and 20 mean the patient should be using a wheelchair, scores between 21 and 40 mean the patientneeds walking assistance, and scores between 41 and 56 mean the patient is independent.
In older adult patients, scores below 41 suggest an increased risk of falling.
However, no significant association has been found between the Berg Balance score and the risk of falling in the spinal cord Injured population.
For more information, please visit
(Words “This video was made possible through the support of” appear above the logos of Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation and Rick Hansen Institute.)
(Words “Thank You” and “Madeline Hannan-Leith, Vanessa Noonan, William Miller, KarineBoily, the SCIRE team, Kim Vanwik, Shannon Sproule, Riley Inge, Kirsten Sharp, and Peter Chisholm” appear before screen dips toblack.)