Process / pipelinebalance-and-gait-performance

Tinetti Balance and Gait Assessment

The Tinetti Balance and Gait Assessment (also known as the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment or POMA) is a performance-based evaluation tool developed by Mary E. Tinetti in 1986 to assess balance and gait abnormalities in older adults. The battery combines direct observation of balance maneuvers and walking pattern with a systematic scoring rubric, identifying individuals at high risk for falls and functional decline. It is widely used in geriatric clinics, rehabilitation settings, and fall prevention programs as a practical yet sensitive assessment of mobility impairment.

Open in MethodMindSoonVideoSoon

Read the full method

Members only

Sign in with a free account to read this section.

Sign in

Sources

  1. Tinetti, M. E. (1986). Performance-oriented assessment of mobility problems in elderly patients. J Am Geriatr Soc, 34(2), 119-126. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1986.tb05480.x
  2. Tinetti, M. E., & Ginter, S. F. (1988). Identifying mobility dysfunctions in elderly patients. Standard neuromuscular tests. J Am Geriatr Soc, 36(1), 55-60. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1988.tb03534.x
  3. Tinetti, M. E., Mendes de Leon, C. F., Doucette, J. T., & Baker, D. I. (1994). Fear of falling and fall-related efficacy in relationship to functioning among community-living elders. J Gerontol, 49(3), M140-M147. DOI: 10.1093/geronj/49.3.M140

Related methods

Referenced by

ScholarGateTinetti (Tinetti Balance and Gait Assessment). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/gerontology/tinetti-balance-assessment