Chapter 5 – Flexibility
Assessing Flexibility
Flexibly is highly individualized as well as joint specific. Flexibility assessment look both at range of motion in a joint as well as extensibility in muscle and other tissues. Limits in either of these areas has the potential to increase joint pain and risk of injury. Flexibility assessment can be used to used to monitor progress over time for an individual to monitor the effectiveness of their training program.
Composite Tests
A composite flexibility test measures multiple joint movements in a non-functional pattern. The most popular composite test is the sit and reach test.
Sit & Reach
The Sit and Reach Flexibility Assessment is easy to administer and is an indirect measurement of flexibility as it is recorded as distance rather than degrees. Although it appears to be more valid for hamstring flexibility, both spine and hamstring flexibility are assessed This means that someone with poor hamstrings flexibility may not be assessed correctly if they can compensate their reach through greater than average spine or shoulder mobility.
Equipment: ruler, step
Procedure:
- Perform a thorough warm up before this assessment
- Remove your shoes and sit on a flat surface, legs extended in front of the body, toes pointing up and feet slightly apart, with the soles of the feet against the base of the step. (This variation may give a better measure of hamstring flexibility over low back: Perform with only one leg straightened and against the step at a time (the other knee is bent and relaxed to the side), take the average of the two scores.)
- Place the ruler on top of the step.
- Place one hand on top of the other, then reach slowly forward. At the point of your greatest reach, hold for a couple of seconds, and measure how far you have reached past the end of your feet.
- Mark or take note of your best score (if you did not reach your toes, measure how far before the feet you were and record as a negative measurement score).
Compare your results to the table below:
| men | women | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cm | inches | cm | inches | |
| super | > +27 | > +10.5 | > +30 | > +11.5 |
| excellent | +17 to +27 | +6.5 to +10.5 | +21 to +30 | +8.0 to +11.5 |
| good | +6 to +16 | +2.5 to +6.0 | +11 to +20 | +4.5 to +7.5 |
| average | 0 to +5 | 0 to +2.0 | +1 to +10 | +0.5 to +4.0 |
| fair | -8 to -1 | -3.0 to -0.5 | -7 to 0 | -2.5 to 0 |
| poor | -20 to -9 | -7.5 to -3.5 | -15 to -8 | -6.0 to -3.0 |
| very poor | < -20 | -8.0 | < -15 | < -6.0 |
Functional Movement Screening
Flexibility issues affecting functional movement can be screen for through Functional Movement Screening. These assessments will allow for a more comprehensive screening for flexibility and mobility deficiencies.
Active Straight Leg Raise
Procedure:
- Lie on the floor on your back (a small rolled towel can be placed under the knees for comfort)
- Raise one leg with knee completely extended and ankle flexed (toes towards head).
- Move only to the point of tension but not pain.
- Elevated knee should stay straight. Opposite knee should remain in contact with towel. Lower back and head should remain on floor.
- Measure or approximate the angle of your leg to the ground (leg straight up would be 90 degrees, towards the face would be more than 90 degrees)
- Repeat on opposite leg.
Scoring:
Measurements close to 90 degrees are considered average. Less than 90 indicates tight hamstring muscle and potential for injury to the hamstrings or low back, Greater than 90 is above average hamstring flexibility.
Shoulder Mobility
Procedure:
- Raise one arm, bend elbow, and reach down across back, with palm facing upper back. Position opposite arm down behind back and reach up across back with back of hand against back.
- In one movement, place hands on back as close as possible to one another. Repeat with arms in opposite position.
- Measures (partner help) or observe (in a mirror) distance between hands. Record scores for both sides. Note any pain or discomfort during movement.
Scoring:
Fingers touching or clasped on each side would be considered good functional flexibility. Hands more than an inch from touch would be considered an opportunity for improvement to enhance shoulder and upper back health.
