Flamingo Balance
Page updated: Evidence reviewed: What this means
The Flamingo Balance test measures static balance. The participant balances on one foot on a narrow beam while holding the other foot behind the body. The score is the number of attempts needed to accumulate 60 seconds of balance time; fewer attempts indicate better performance. Data are from Tomkinson et al. (2018), a pooled analysis of 123,655 test results from children and adolescents aged 9 to 17 in 19 European countries.
How to Perform This Test (Protocol)
- Equipment
-
- Eurofit balance beam (3 cm wide, 50 cm long, 4 cm high)
- Stopwatch
- Protocol Steps
-
- Place the balance beam on a flat, non-slip surface.
- The participant stands on the preferred foot, bends the free leg backward, and holds the back of that foot with the hand on the same side. The other arm remains free for balance.
- The examiner supports the participant's forearm while the participant gets into position, then releases support and starts the stopwatch.
- Pause the stopwatch whenever balance is lost. Help the participant restart in the same position, then resume timing.
- Continue until the participant has accumulated 60 seconds of balance time.
- Record the number of attempts needed to complete the accumulated minute.
- Scoring
Number of attempts needed to maintain balance for a total of 60 seconds. Lower scores indicate fewer restarts. If the participant falls 15 times in the first 30 seconds, stop the test and record that the participant was unable to perform it; do not convert this outcome to a percentile score.
- Notes
Allow one familiarisation trial before the scored test. Timing is accumulated across attempts rather than running continuously.
Data source: Tomkinson et al. 2018 (Eurofit) About this study
Reference population: Apparently healthy children and adolescents aged 9-17 from 30 European countries (2,779,165 test results across all included tests)
Flamingo Balance Norms Chart by Age and Sex (attempts)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 9 | Male | 4 | 8 | 12 | 17 | 24 |
| Female | 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 23 | |
| 10 | Male | 3 | 8 | 12 | 17 | 25 |
| Female | 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 23 | |
| 11 | Male | 3 | 8 | 12 | 17 | 26 |
| Female | 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 24 | |
| 12 | Male | 3 | 8 | 12 | 17 | 26 |
| Female | 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 24 | |
| 13 | Male | 3 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 26 |
| Female | 3 | 8 | 11 | 16 | 23 | |
| 14 | Male | 3 | 7 | 11 | 17 | 25 |
| Female | 3 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 23 | |
| 15 | Male | 3 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 21 |
| Female | 3 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 21 | |
| 16 | Male | 3 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 21 |
| Female | 3 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 19 | |
| 17 | Male | 3 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 21 |
| Female | 3 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 18 | |
What to expect by age group
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | 8 to 17 | 8 to 16 |
| 10 | 8 to 17 | 8 to 16 |
| 11 | 8 to 17 | 8 to 16 |
| 12 | 8 to 17 | 8 to 16 |
| 13 | 7 to 17 | 8 to 16 |
| 14 | 7 to 17 | 8 to 15 |
| 15 | 7 to 14 | 7 to 14 |
| 16 | 7 to 14 | 7 to 13 |
| 17 | 7 to 14 | 6 to 13 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the lowest displayed percentile close to 3 attempts?
The source tables place the fastest-performing tail near 3 attempts across most ages. Because lower scores are better, those values appear at P5 after the site's numeric-ascending storage conversion; they are not P95 values.
How do scores differ by sex in this reference sample?
Girls have lower median attempt counts than boys at most ages in these tables. At age 13 the medians are 11 attempts for girls and 12 for boys; by age 17 they are 9 and 10.
Is P25 interpolated?
Yes. Tomkinson et al. report P20, P30, P70, and P80 but not P25 or P75. This page uses the decimal average of P20 and P30 for P25 and of P70 and P80 for P75, rounded half up to the nearest attempt.
What is the Flamingo Balance test used for?
The Council of Europe handbook classifies the test as a measure of general balance. These percentiles describe position within the Tomkinson European youth sample; they are not diagnostic thresholds.
Is this test suitable for adults?
The cited tables cover ages 9-17 only. Do not apply these percentiles to adults. The Single-Leg Balance page uses a different flat-ground, timed protocol and a different reference population.
Related Metrics
Eurofit Battery
This metric is part of the Eurofit, a standardised 9-test battery for children and adolescents aged 6-18.