Sit and Reach Test

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Introduction and Purpose

Sit and reach test is the one of the linear flexibility test which helps to measure the extensibility of hamstring and lower back. It was initially described by Wells and Dillon in 1952 and probably the mostly used flexibility test.It have a simple procedure, is easy to administer, require-minimal skills training for their application, and the equipment necessary to perform them is very affordable.It is a field test which is easy to administer in community setting with large scale of population size.

It helps to determine individual risk of future injury and pain as hamstring flexibilty is related to prevent risk of falling, gait limitations or postural deviations and acute or chronic musculoskeletal injuries and lower back problems.

Technique

• There are various techniques and variation of Sit and reach test. the one which is explained below is based upon Young Men's Christian Association (YCMA) from American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guideline, 2014.
• Pretest: Clients/Patients should perform a short warm-up prior to this test with some gentle stretches. During test participants are suggested not to do fast, jerky movements, which may increase the possibility of an injury. The participant’s shoes should be removed.
• A yardstick is placed on the floor and tape is placed across it at a right angle to the 15 inches mark. The client/patient sits with the yardstick between the legs, with legs extended at right angles to the taped line on the floor. Heels of the feet should touch the edge of the taped line and be about 10 to 12 in apart.
• The client/patient should slowly reach forward with extended arms, placing one hand on top of the other facing palms down, as far as possible, holding this position approximately 2 s. Be sure that the participant keeps the hands parallel and does not lead with one hand. Fingertips can be overlapped and should be in contact with the measuring portion or yardstick of the sit-and-reach box.
• The score is the most distant point (cm or in) reached with the fingertips. The best of three trials should be recorded. To assist with the best attempt, the client/patient should exhale and drop the head between the arms when reaching. Testers should ensure that the knees of the participant stay extended; however, the participant’s knees should not be pressed down. The client/patient should breathe normally during the test and should not hold her/his breath at any time.
• Note the zero point at the foot/box interface to use the appropriate norms. So for YCMA the “zero” point is set at the 15 inches mark.

Normative value of Sit and Reach Test

Fitness Categories for the YMCA Sit-and-Reach Test (in) by Age and Sex

Variations

• Unilateral sit and reach test 
• Back-saver sit and reach test
• Bilateral sit and reach test
• V sit and reach test.
• Modified sit and-reach test
• Toe-touch test
• Canadian Trunk Forward Flexion Test
• Chair sit-and-reach test (CSR test)- It was proposed as an alternative for assessing hamstring flexibility in elderly people with correlation co-effiecent of  0.76 and 0.81 for older men and women respectively.

The choice of the test to be employed is more often based on the examiner’s preferences, ease of use, professional discipline, or tradition, rather than scientific evidence as there is still no convincing proof or conclusively provided evidence of which test is the most appropriate to use to assess hamstring and low-back flexibility.