No-kit assessment
Functional Reach TestFRT
The Functional Reach Test quantifies the forward limit of stability, the margin a person has before they must step or fall. It needs only a wall, a yardstick, and a level eye, which makes it one of the most portable balance measures available.
Safety
Stand ready to guard; the test deliberately pushes the patient toward their stability limit. Do not administer if the patient cannot stand unsupported. Ensure clear space in the direction of any potential loss of balance.
What you need
- A level yardstick or measuring tape mounted on a wall at shoulder height
- Clear wall space and room to stand alongside it
How to administer
- 1.Patient stands beside (not facing) the wall, feet shoulder-width, without touching it.
- 2.Patient raises the arm nearest the wall to 90 degrees of shoulder flexion, hand in a fist; record the starting knuckle position on the yardstick.
- 3.Instruct the patient to reach as far forward as they can without stepping or touching the wall.
- 4.Record the ending knuckle position; the reach distance is the difference between start and end.
- 5.Take the best of three trials after one practice.
Cutoffs and norms
| Reach | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Greater than 10 in (25 cm) | Lower fall risk |
| 6 to 10 in (15-25 cm) | Roughly 2x fall risk |
| Less than 6 in (15 cm) | Roughly 4x fall risk; markedly elevated |
| Unable / unwilling to reach | Highest risk category |
Interpretation bands from the original validation cohort of community-dwelling older men; reach also declines with normal aging. Verify against Duncan before clinical use.
Source: Duncan et al., 1990
Farther reach is better. The test measures anterior stability only, so pair it with a test that loads other directions when balance is the clinical question. Serial change on the same setup tracks intervention effect.
References
- Duncan PW, Weiner DK, Chandler J, Studenski S. Functional reach: a new clinical measure of balance. J Gerontol. 1990;45(6):M192-M197. PubMed