Description:
Developed to assess the likelihood of falling in older adults. Designed to test
eight facets of gait.
Equipment needed: Box (Shoebox), Cones (2), Stairs, 20’ walkway, 15”
wide
Completion:
Time: 15 minutes
Scoring: A four-point ordinal scale, ranging from 0-3. “0”
indicates the lowest level of function and “3” the highest level of
function.
Total Score = 24
Interpretation: < 19/24 = predictive of falls in the elderly
> 22/24 = safe ambulators
1. Gait level surface _____
Instructions: Walk at your normal speed from here to the next mark (20’)
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.
(3) Normal: Walks 20’, no assistive devices, good sped, no evidence for
imbalance, normal gait pattern
(2) Mild Impairment: Walks 20’, uses assistive devices, slower speed, mild
gait deviations.
(1) Moderate Impairment: Walks 20’, slow speed, abnormal gait pattern,
evidence for imbalance.
(0) Severe Impairment: Cannot walk 20’ without assistance, severe gait
deviations or imbalance.
2. Change in gait speed _____
Instructions: Begin walking at your normal pace (for 5’), when I tell you “go,”
walk as fast as you can (for 5’). When I tell you “slow,” walk as slowly as you
can (for 5’).
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.
(3) Normal: Able to smoothly change walking speed without loss of balance
or gait deviation. Shows a significant difference in walking speeds between
normal, fast and slow speeds.
(2) Mild Impairment: Is able to change speed but demonstrates mild gait
deviations, or not gait deviations but unable to achieve a significant change in
velocity, or uses an assistive device.
(1) Moderate Impairment: Makes only minor adjustments to walking
speed, or accomplishes a change in speed with significant gait deviations,
or changes speed but has significant gait deviations, or changes speed but
loses balance but is able to recover and continue walking.
(0) Severe Impairment: Cannot change speeds, or loses balance and has
to reach for wall or be caught.
3. Gait with horizontal head turns _____
Instructions: Begin walking at your normal pace. When I tell you to “look
right,” keep walking straight, but turn your head to the right. Keep looking to
the right until I tell you, “look left,” then keep walking straight and turn your
head to the left. Keep your head to the left until I tell you “look straight,“
then keep walking straight, but return your head to the center.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.
(3) Normal: Performs head turns smoothly with no change in gait.
(2) Mild Impairment: Performs head turns smoothly with slight change
in gait velocity, i.e., minor disruption to smooth gait path or uses walking
aid.
(1) Moderate Impairment: Performs head turns with moderate change in
gait velocity, slows down, staggers but recovers, can continue to walk.
(0) Severe Impairment: Performs task with severe disruption of gait, i.e.,
staggers
outside 15” path, loses balance, stops, reaches for wall.
4. Gait with vertical head turns _____
Instructions: Begin walking at your normal pace. When I tell you to “look up,”
keep walking straight, but tip your head up. Keep looking up until I tell you,
“look down,” then keep walking straight and tip your head down. Keep your
head down until I tell you “look straight,“ then keep walking straight, but
return your head to the center.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.
(3) Normal: Performs head turns smoothly with no change in gait.
(2) Mild Impairment: Performs head turns smoothly with slight change in
gait velocity, i.e., minor disruption to smooth gait path or uses walking aid.
(1) Moderate Impairment: Performs head turns with moderate change in
gait velocity, slows down, staggers but recovers, can continue to walk.
(0) Severe Impairment: Performs task with severe disruption of gait, i.e.,
staggers
outside 15” path, loses balance, stops, reaches for wall.
5. Gait and pivot turn _____
Instructions: Begin walking at your normal pace. When I tell you, “turn and
stop,” turn as quickly as you can to face the opposite direction and stop.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.
(3) Normal: Pivot turns safely within 3 seconds and stops quickly with no
loss of balance.
(2) Mild Impairment: Pivot turns safely in > 3 seconds and stops with no
loss of balance.
(1) Moderate Impairment: Turns slowly, requires verbal cueing, requires
several small steps to catch balance following turn and stop.
(0) Severe Impairment: Cannot turn safely, requires assistance to turn and stop.
6. Step over obstacle ____
Instructions: Begin walking at your normal speed. When you come to the
shoebox, step over it, not around it, and keep walking.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.
(3) Normal: Is able to step over the box without changing gait speed, no
evidence of imbalance.
(2) Mild Impairment: Is able to step over box, but must slow down and adjust
steps to clear box safely.
(1) Moderate Impairment: Is able to step over box but must stop, then step
over. May require verbal cueing.
(0) Severe Impairment: Cannot perform without assistance.
7. Step around obstacles _____
Instructions: Begin walking at normal speed. When you come to the first
cone (about 6’ away), walk around the right side of it. When you come to
the second cone (6’ past first cone), walk around it to the left.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.
(3) Normal: Is able to walk around cones safely without changing gait speed;
no evidence of imbalance.
(2) Mild Impairment: Is able to step around both cones, but must slow down
and adjust steps to clear cones.
(1) Moderate Impairment: Is able to clear cones but must significantly
slow, speed to accomplish task, or requires verbal cueing.
(0) Severe Impairment: Unable to clear cones, walks into one or both cones,
or requires physical assistance.
8. Steps _____
Instructions: Walk up these stairs as you would at home, i.e., using the railing
if necessary. At the top, turn around and walk down.
Grading: Mark the lowest category that applies.
(3) Normal: Alternating feet, no rail.
(2) Mild Impairment: Alternating feet, must use rail.
(1) Moderate Impairment: Two feet to a stair, must use rail.
(0) Severe Impairment: Cannot do safely.
