PREVALENCE OF BALANCE ALTERATION IN GERIATRIC POPULATION USING BERG BALANCE SCALE Gaurai Gharote 1 , Biradar Vijaykumar 2 , Ujwal Yeole 3 , Praveen Gawli 4 , Roshan Adikitte 5 . *1 Assistant Professor, TMV College of Physiotherapy, Gultekdi, Pune 411037, Maharashtra, India. 2  Student, TMV College of Physiotherapy, Gultekdi, Pune 411037, Maharashtra, India. 3  Professor and Head, TMV College of Physiotherapy, Gultekdi, Pune 411037, Maharashtra, India. 4  TMV College of Physiotherapy, Gultekdi, Pune 411037, Maharashtra, India. 5  TMV College of Physiotherapy, Gultekdi, Pune 411037, Maharashtra, India. Address:     Dr.     Gaurai     Gharote,     TMV     College     of     Physiotherapy,     Gultekdi,     Pune     411037,     Maharashtra,     India.     E-Mail: gaurai.gharote@gmail.com ABSTRACT Introduction:   Balance   is   defined   as   the   ability   to   keep   the   body’s   centre   of   mass   within   the   limit   of   the   base   of   support,   and   it   is   required for   many   functional   activities   of   daily   life   such   as   mobility   &   fall   avoidance.   Balance   impairment   occurs   in   up   to   75%   people   aged   70   years &older,   assessment   of   balance   abilities   is   important   for   the   diagnosis   of   important   potential.   Evidence   health   based   care   requires   the   use of   valid   reliable   test   during   clinical   assessment.   Although   impairment   in   balance   is   acknowledged   as   a   major   predictor   of   falls,   systematic reviews   have   been   limited   in   recommending   specific   clinical   assessment   scales   of   balance   .Geriatrics   is   a   branch   of   medical   science   which deals   with   the   care   of   old   people.   Old   age   changes   are   called   senescence.   An   ability   to   predict   risk   of   further   falling   is   needed   in   order   to target high risk individual for prevention and intervention. Materials   and   Methods:   The   subjects   both   male   and   female   between   the   age   group   60-75   years   were   recruited   for   the   study.   For   study research,   50   subjects   were   selected;   and   were   divided   among   three   age   groups   i.e.   60-65,   65-70,   71-75,   and   checked   which   age   group   was prone   for   balance   alteration.      Berg   balance   scale   is   used   to   measure   the   balance   alteration.   Berg   balance   consists   of   14   items   primarily assisting   transfers   and   static   standing   balance,   with   limited   dynamic   activities.   It   takes   approximately   15-20   minutes   to   complete   berg balance   scale.   Items   are   rated   on   a   0   to   4   scale   based   on   performance   quality,   performance   duration   and   assistance   needed,   with   a   total range of 0 to 56 according to score interpreted. The total maximum score is 56 interpreted accordingly to the subject score. Results: The results showed that the ANOVA test P value ( <0.001 ) is significant. Conclusion:   It   was   found   that   as   the   age   increases   balance   alteration   and   risk   of   fall   also   increases   while   berg   balance   score   decreases. There is significance of prevalence of balance alteration and risk of fall in geriatric population. KEY WORDS: Berg balance scale, Geriatric population, Balances alteration . References 1 . Shumway-cock   A,   Woollcott   MH.   Motor   control   translating   research   clinical   practice,3rd   edition.   Philadelphia,   PA:   lip-pincott,   Williams   &   Wilkins; 2007. 2 . Howe TE, Rochester L, Jackson A et al. exercise for improving balance in older people, continent database system Rev 2007: [4]:cd oo4963. 3 . 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