§ 01
Functional Independence Tests
Clinical fitness assessment

Chair Sit and Reach

Assess lower body flexibility (hamstrings) in a seated position.

Equipment

Standard chair, ruler or tape measure.

The protocol
  1. 01Client sits on the front edge of a chair with one leg extended forward, heel on the floor, toes pointing up.
  2. 02The other foot is flat on the floor, knee bent.
  3. 03With hands overlapping and arms extended, the client slowly reaches toward the toes of the extended leg.
  4. 04Hold the maximum reach for 2 seconds.
  5. 05Measure the distance between the fingertips and the tip of the shoe: positive if past the toes, negative if short.
  6. 06Best of 2 attempts.
What to watch for
  • Bending the knee of the extended leg.
  • Bouncing to reach further.
  • Not holding the maximum reach for 2 seconds.
Normative scoring

Age 60-64: M -6.4 to +10.2 cm, F -1.3 to +12.7 cm. Age 70-74: M -8.9 to +7.6, F -2.5 to +10.2. Age 80-84: M -14.0 to +3.8, F -5.1 to +7.6.

Run it with GainPT

Run this test with branded client reports.

GainPT scores Chair Sit and Reach against published normative data and turns it into a clean, GainPT-branded PDF your client keeps. All 47 clinical tests, unlimited retests — free to start, no card required.