Execution
- 1Seat the patient on the floor or testing mat with one knee extended and the opposite knee flexed.
- 2Place the sole of the extended leg against the sit-and-reach box or measurement line.
- 3Ask the patient to reach forward slowly with both hands while keeping the test knee extended.
- 4Record the farthest controlled reach without bouncing.
- 5Repeat on the opposite side and compare side-to-side reach.
Positive outcome
Reduced reach distance or clear side-to-side asymmetry suggests reduced hamstring flexibility on the extended-leg side. Pain, neural symptoms, or lumbar flexion limitation should be documented separately. This is a field flexibility measure rather than a diagnostic test.
CommentBacksaver sit-and-reach testing is useful in screening flexibility but is not specific to hamstring tissue because lumbar and pelvic motion contribute to reach distance. It should not replace a more controlled hamstring length test when clinical precision is needed. Value is low because diagnostic accuracy for a pathology is not established.
Low Clinical Value