§ 01
Functional Movement
Clinical fitness assessment

Overhead Squat Assessment

Screen for movement compensations in the kinetic chain during a fundamental squat pattern.

Equipment

Dowel or PVC pipe (optional). Open floor space.

The protocol
  1. 01Client stands with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
  2. 02Arms extended overhead (holding a dowel if available) with elbows locked.
  3. 03Instruct: "Squat down as low as you comfortably can, then stand back up."
  4. 04Perform 5 repetitions at a slow, controlled pace.
  5. 05Observe from the FRONT: Watch for knees caving in (valgus) or asymmetric shift.
  6. 06Observe from the SIDE: Watch for heels rising, excessive forward lean, arms falling forward.
  7. 07Rate overall quality: Good Form / Minor Compensations / Major Compensations.
  8. 08Tick specific compensations observed.
What to watch for
  • Knees caving in (valgus) — may indicate weak glutes, tight adductors.
  • Heels rising — may indicate tight calves, limited ankle dorsiflexion.
  • Arms falling forward — may indicate tight lats, limited thoracic extension.
  • Excessive forward lean — may indicate tight hip flexors, weak core.
  • Asymmetric weight shift — may indicate strength or mobility imbalance.
Normative scoring

Qualitative assessment. Good Form = no compensations. Minor = 1-2 small compensations. Major = significant compensations or inability to complete the movement.

Run it with GainPT

Run this test with branded client reports.

GainPT scores Overhead Squat Assessment 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.