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Chair Sit-and-Reach Test

The chair sit-and-reach measures flexibility at the back of the leg. Your score is the distance between your fingertips and toes.

Calculate your result.

Signed distance from the fingertips to the toes.

Comparisons cover ages 60–94; other adult ages are recorded without a category
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Enter your details to record a result.

How to do the test

Sit near the front of a sturdy chair. Keep one foot flat; extend the other leg with its heel on the floor. Reach toward the extended foot without bouncing. Measure the distance from fingertips to toes.

Understanding your result

Touching the toes is 0. Record a gap as a negative number and a reach beyond the toes as a positive number. The ranges below are in inches.

Normal range, signed inches

These ranges represent the middle 50% of the reference group. Scores outside the range are below or above average for that group.

Loading comparison ranges…

Source: Jones CJ, Rikli RE. “Measuring functional fitness of older adults.” The Journal on Active Aging. March–April 2002, page 28.

Before you start

Use a stable setup and stop for chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness, new pain, or loss of balance. Ask a clinician whether testing is suitable if you have symptoms or activity restrictions.