HESI Health Assessment Practice Test 2025 – All-in-One Study Guide for Exam Success!

The Romberg test evaluates a person's balance and proprioception, which is the awareness of the position of one's body in space. During this test, a person is asked to stand with their feet together and their eyes closed. A key aspect of this assessment is the person's ability to maintain balance without visual input.

If there is a loss of balance upon closing the eyes, it indicates a problem with the body's proprioceptive and vestibular systems, suggesting potential neurological or vestibular dysfunction. This inability to stay upright in the absence of visual cues is a clear sign that the coordination mechanism is impaired, therefore confirming the presence of a problem.

In contrast, the other signs mentioned are related to different clinical assessments and do not directly evaluate coordination during the Romberg test. Positive Murphy's sign pertains to gallbladder disease, inability to identify positional sensation relates to sensory nerve function, and positive Blumberg's sign indicates abdominal rebound tenderness, pointing towards potential peritoneal irritation or abdominal issues. These do not assess balance or coordination in the same way the Romberg test does.