Healthcare & Clinical Formulas
Tinetti Balance & Gait Assessment (POMA) Fall Risk Score (0–28)
Combine Tinetti Balance Subscore (9 maneuvers, 0–16 pts) and Gait Subscore (7 parameters, 0–12 pts) into total 28-point POMA and classify High (<=18), Moderate (19–23), or Low (>=24) geriatric fall risk.
Why physical therapists separate static/transitional Balance (0–16) from dynamic Gait (0–12)!
Mary E. Tinetti (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 1986) designed the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA, 0–28 points) to pinpoint WHY an older adult falls during daily living: the 9-item Balance subscale (sitting balance, arising, attempts to arise, immediate standing, prolonged standing, sternal nudge, eyes closed, 360° turn, sitting down; 0–16 pts) isolates postural and vestibular control, while the 7-item Gait subscale (initiation, step length/height, step symmetry, step continuity, path deviation, trunk sway, walking stance; 0–12 pts) captures shuffling, festination, or wide-based ataxia!
Total POMA = Balance + Gait stratifies annual fall probability into three validated rehabilitation tiers: <= 18 points = High Fall Risk (5x increased fall risk), 19–23 points = Moderate Fall Risk, and >= 24 points = Low Fall Risk!
| Total Tinetti POMA Score (0–28) | Balance (0–16) + Gait (0–12) | Geriatric Fall Risk Tier |
|---|---|---|
| <= 18 Points (e.g., Balance 10 + Gait 7 = 17) | Impaired Transfers & Stepping | High Fall Risk (<=18: Assistive Device & PT) |
| 19 – 23 Points (e.g., Balance 12 + Gait 9 = 21) | Mild-Moderate Instability | Moderate Fall Risk (19–23: Targeted Balance Rx) |
| >= 24 Points (e.g., Balance 15 + Gait 11 = 26) | Intact Postural & Stride Control | Low Fall Risk (>=24) |
Total 28-Point Tinetti POMA Mobility Score
Validates bounded Balance (0–16) and Gait (0–12) subscales and returns total POMA.
=IF(OR(B2 < 0, B2 > 16, B3 < 0, B3 > 12), "Invalid Tinetti Subscore", B2 + B3)Tinetti POMA Fall-Risk Tier Classification
Classifies <=18 as High Fall Risk, 19–23 as Moderate Fall Risk, and >=24 as Low Fall Risk.
=IF(OR(B2 < 0, B2 > 16, B3 < 0, B3 > 12), "Invalid Tinetti Subscore", IF(B2 + B3 <= 18, "High Fall Risk (<=18)", IF(B2 + B3 <= 23, "Moderate Fall Risk (19-23)", "Low Fall Risk (>=24)")))Try the example
Use the original values or change them to test your understanding.