Sharpened Romberg

The Sharpened Romberg makes a standard balance test harder in a specific way. A person stands heel to toe rather than with feet together, arms folded across the chest, which narrows the base of support and takes away the option of shifting weight sideways to correct.

The test runs twice: once with eyes open, once with eyes closed. That comparison is the point. With eyes open, vision, proprioception, and the vestibular system all contribute. With eyes closed and the feet in tandem, vision is removed and the somatosensory contribution is reduced, leaving the vestibular system carrying most of the work. The score is how long the position is held, commonly up to 60 seconds.

• Shirley Ryan Ability Lab Overview

Licensing Notes: The Romberg test dates to the 19th century and the sharpened or tandem variant is a clinical modification, not a proprietary instrument. No license, fee, or equipment is required beyond a stopwatch. Protocol descriptions are reproduced without restriction across clinical resources.

Learn More: Protocol details change the result, so record them. Whether eyes are open or closed, which foot is in front, whether shoes are worn, arm position, surface, whether brief support is allowed at the start, and whether the cap is 10, 30, or 60 seconds — all vary between published protocols, and a score is not comparable across them.