Postural Control Exam 3 Practice

The Functional Reach Test shows how far you can reach forward from a fixed stance without losing balance, reflecting your limits of stability and anticipatory postural control. A smaller reach means the stability limits are reduced, so the person is more prone to losing balance with forward movement, which signals greater impairment and a higher risk of falling. Larger reach distances indicate better balance and a lower fall risk. So, a lower reach distance aligns with higher impairment and greater fall risk, not with superior balance or no fall risk.