Romberg's sign
Last reviewed 01/2018
Romberg's sign is positive if the patient requires vision to stand steadily.
The patient is asked to stand with the feet together. If the patient is steady with eyes open but unsteady with eyes closed then there are signs of Rombergism.
Romberg's sign is said to be positive in patients with sensory ataxia and negative in cerebellar ataxia. In practise Romberg's sign has a low specificity.
In cerebellar disease, the patient is often unsteady with the eyes open or closed.