What is the tinetti test?

To assess the quality of gait and balance deficits in the patients with poor balance and decreased lower body stability, the tinetti balance assessment tool is used by the physical therapist. The tinetti test is sometimes called the performance oriented mobility assessment (POMA).

Poor balance can result from a variety of different causes, including:

1. Aging and associated muscle weakness
2. Sedentary behavior
3. Injuries that affect the ankles, knees, or hips
4. Condition that can cause weakness in the leg muscles, such as arthritis or spinal stenosis
5. Neurological conditions
6. Sensory loss from peripheral neuro-pathy

Gait assessment:

A physical therapist will ask the patient to walk while observing the patient’s gait quality to score the following domains of the gait section of the tinetti test:

1. Hesitancy with gait
2. Step length and height
3. Step symentry
4. step continuity
5. path deviation
6. walking stance
7. trunk sway

Balance Assessment:

For the balance section of the tinetti test, a physical therapist will ask the patient to perform the following positions  while observing the quality of the patient’s movements an ability to stay balanced :

1. Sitting balanced in a chair
2. Rising from a chair
3. Standing balance
4. Standing balance when nudged at the chest
5. Standing balance with eyes closed
6. Turning 360 degrees
7. Sitting down