Introduction:
Fall is a common problem in the elderly and it can reduce their mobility and independence. The use of simple tools to detect risk of falls is essential to prevent and treat such events. However, there is no consensus about the most appropriate tools for each situation.
Objective:
To review studies about efficacy, sensitivity and specificity of Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in order to ascertain which is the most appropriate to predict falls in the elderly.
Methods:
We performed a literature review from MEDLINE, PubMed, ISI, LILACS and Portal de Periódicos CAPES databases, between 2001 and 2011.
Results:
We selected 17 different articles about BBS and 20 articles about TUGT. The review showed the two tools can be good predictors of falls. However, the articles differed in definition of fall and faller, type of study, quantity and characteristics of sample and assessment of falls, leading to different results as cutoff scores, sensitivity, specificity and prediction of fall. There is controversy about the ability of tools to predict falls in specific samples, such as active elderly.
Conclusion:
TUGT and BBS are effective to predict falls, provided they are adapted to each sample. Further studies should be performed using articles with homogeneous methods in order to support comparison of results about the effectiveness of tools.
Elderly; Falls; Timed Up and Go; Berg Balance Scale
