Purpose of Chair Sit And Reach Test
The main purpose of the chair sit and reach test is to measure the lower body flexibility. But it is more specifically used to measure the hamstring’s flexibility. This test is a variation of the Sit and Reach test.
Hence, lower body flexibility is essential for restricting lower back pain. It is associated with an individual’s lifestyle activities like his walking pattern, stair climbing pattern, and also his gait and posture. Chair sit and reach test is generally performed in senior citizens like those who are above 60 years of age.
Equipment Required for Chair Sit and Reach Test
1 – Ruler or Measuring tape.
2 – Straight back or Folding chair with a seat height of ( 17 inches/ 44 cm).
Pre-test Evaluations
Explain the procedure to the subject before performing the test. Perform screening of health dangers and collect informed consent. Prepare forms and document basic details like age, height, sex, body weight.
Procedure for performing the chair sit and reach test
- The participant will sit on the edge of the chair (Make sure that chair won’t tip forward or slide back).
- One foot must stay flat on the floor. Another leg is extended forward with the knee straight, the heel on the floor, and the ankle flexed at 90°.
- Put one hand on top of another and make sure that their middle fingers are even.
- Instruct the subject to inhale, then as they exhale, reach forward toward the toes by bending at the hip. Keep the back straight it should not be bend or flexed and head up.
- Avoid bouncing or rapid movements, and never extend to the point of pain. Keep the knee straight, and maintain the reach for 2 seconds.
- Now it is the administrator’s responsibility to measure the distance between your fingertips and your toes.
- If they are not able to touch their toes, Measure the distance from their toes to their fingertips and that would be a negative score. If the participant is able to go past their toes, then the score would be positive. And if the fingertips touch the toes, then the score will be zero.
- Record the measurement or score to the nearest 1 cm or 1/2 inch, and also record which leg was used for the measurement.
- Perform this same procedure on another leg and after performing the test procedure on both the legs. Find out which leg is more flexible? You can find out this by looking at the scores scored by each leg. Hence out of both the legs, the leg whose score is more positive will be considered more flexible.
- After finding out which leg is more flexible, Perform two trials on that leg, as shown in the video below.
Target Population for Chair Sit and Reach Test
Normally it can be performed on anyone, but this test is mostly performed on people above 60 years of age (senior citizens).
Contraindications for Chair Sit and Reach Test
Do not perform the test if the subject is suffering from severe osteoporosis.
You May Also Read
Other Related Test
Muscle Power Grading / Muscle Strength Testing
Manual Muscle Testing
Lower Trapezius Manual Muscle Test
Sacroiliac Joint Tests
Mennell’s Sign / Mennell’s Test – Used to assess degenerative processes in the sacroiliac joint.
Springing Test – To detect functional impairment in the Thoracic & Lumbar spine & Sacroiliac Joint.
Gaenslen’s Test – To detect any pathology or dysfunction around the sacroiliac joint.
Test/ Standing Forward Flexion Test – To assess sacroiliac joint dysfunction.
Cervical Exams
Cervical Flexion Compression Test – To identify if there is a Herniated disk in the Cervical spine.
Jackson Compression Test – To Detect Cervical Radiculopathy (Cervical Nerve Root Compression).
Pelvic Ligament Tests – used for the assessment of the pelvic ligaments.
Supported Forward Bend Test (Belt Test) – helps in differentiating lumbar pain and sacroiliac pain.
Noble Compression Test / Noble Test – To assess pain coming from iliotibial band syndrome.
Neer Test – For detecting the presence of shoulder impingement syndrome.
Some Other Test
Subscapularis Test – Indicates the rupture of the subscapularis muscle
Lowenberg Test – For Detecting Early sign of Venous Thrombosis
Hello Friends,
My self Ritvik Verma and I am a Physiotherapist and the founder of www.physio-study.com. I completed my bachelor’s of physiotherapy from Integral University Lucknow and an internship at KMC Hospital Meerut.
Then I worked in the Physiotherapy Department of Lovee Shubh Hospital (Lucknow) for one year. Then I joined Holistic Touch Physical Therapy & Wellness Clinic and worked there for more than six months.
I am running my clinic and writing blogs on my website, www.physio-study.com, in my hometown, Lakhimpur Kheri.
