Chair Sit-and-Reach

Page updated: Evidence reviewed: What this means

The chair sit-and-reach test measures lower-body flexibility, specifically how far past, or short of, the toes a person can reach while seated. It is part of the Senior Fitness Test battery (Rikli & Jones 1999, n=7,183 US community-dwelling adults aged 60-94). Percentile curves (P5-P95) are from the Senior Fitness Test Manual, 2nd edition (2013), modelled from the same sample. Positive scores mean reaching past the toes; negative scores mean falling short. This test differs from the standard sit-and-reach performed on the floor because it is done seated in a chair with one leg extended.

How to Perform This Test (Protocol)

Chair Sit-and-Reach protocol, illustrated: equipment, steps and scoring.
Equipment
  • 17-inch (43 cm) folding chair with forward-angled legs, placed against a wall
  • 18-inch (46 cm) ruler
Protocol Steps
  1. Sit on the front edge of the chair, with the crease between the top of the leg and the buttocks level with the front edge of the seat.
  2. Bend one leg with the foot flat on the floor, slightly to the side. Extend the other straight in front of the hip, heel on the floor and foot flexed at about 90 degrees.
  3. After a demonstration, practice on both legs to find the preferred leg (the one with the better score), then do two practice trials on that leg.
  4. With arms outstretched, hands overlapping and middle fingers even, bend slowly forward at the hip and reach as far as possible toward or past the toes.
  5. Hold the maximum reach for 2 seconds.
Scoring

Give two test trials on the preferred leg and record the better score. Measure from the tips of the middle fingers to the toe end of the shoe, to the nearest half inch. The midpoint of the toe end is zero: a reach short of it is negative, and a reach past it is positive.

Notes

Exhale while bending forward, do not bounce, and stretch only to slight discomfort, never to pain. If the extended knee starts to bend, sit back slowly until it is straight.

Data source: Rikli & Jones (SFT) (1999) · n=7.2K About this study

Reference population: Community-dwelling older adults aged 60-94 from 267 sites across 21 US states

Chair Sit-and-Reach Functional Fitness

Chair Sit-and-Reach Norms Chart by Age and Sex (inches)

Age Sex Percentile
5th 25th 50th 75th 95th
60-64 Male -7.3 -2.6 0.6 3.8 8.5
Female -4.0 -0.6 2.1 4.8 8.7
65-69 Male -7.5 -3.1 0.0 3.1 7.5
Female -3.9 -0.4 2.0 4.4 7.9
70-74 Male -7.6 -3.1 0.0 3.0 7.5
Female -4.7 -1.1 1.4 3.9 7.5
75-79 Male -8.8 -4.2 -1.1 2.0 6.6
Female -5.0 -1.3 1.2 3.7 7.4
80-84 Male -10.2 -5.3 -2.0 1.4 6.2
Female -5.0 -2.0 0.5 3.0 6.6
85-89 Male -9.3 -5.2 -2.4 0.4 4.5
Female -6.3 -2.6 -0.1 2.4 6.0
90-94 Male -10.7 -6.5 -3.6 -0.7 3.5
Female -7.9 -4.4 -1.7 1.0 4.9

What to expect by age group

Among adults aged 60 to 64, the middle 50% score -2.6 to +3.8 inches for men and -0.6 to +4.8 inches for women (positive means reaching past the toes). Median scores decline across the brackets; men are below zero by ages 75-79 and women by ages 85-89. The women's median is 1.4 to 2.5 inches higher than the men's in every bracket. Scores below -2.6 inches (men) or -0.6 inches (women) are typically below average for ages 60-64; scores above 3.8 inches (men) or 4.8 inches (women) are above average.

Typical range (25th to 75th percentile) by age group (inches)
Age MalesFemales
60-64 -2.6 to 3.8-0.6 to 4.8
65-69 -3.1 to 3.1-0.4 to 4.4
70-74 -3.1 to 3.0-1.1 to 3.9
75-79 -4.2 to 2.0-1.3 to 3.7
80-84 -5.3 to 1.4-2.0 to 3.0
85-89 -5.2 to 0.4-2.6 to 2.4
90-94 -6.5 to -0.7-4.4 to 1.0

Detailed Breakdowns

Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.

Males
60-6465-6970-7475-7980-8485-8990-94
Females
60-6465-6970-7475-7980-8485-8990-94
Age trend (percentiles)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the chair sit-and-reach test measure?

Lower-body flexibility, primarily the hamstrings, recorded as the distance short of or beyond the toes while seated with one leg extended. This page compares that distance with the Senior Fitness Test reference population.

What is the protocol for the chair sit-and-reach test?

The full step-by-step protocol is detailed in the 'How to Perform This Test (Protocol)' section above.

How is this different from the standard sit-and-reach test?

The standard sit-and-reach is performed sitting on the floor with both legs extended, pushing a slider on a box. The chair sit-and-reach tests one leg at a time while seated in a chair, making it more accessible for older adults who may have difficulty getting down to the floor.

Why does this metric only cover ages 60-94?

The Senior Fitness Test was designed for older adults. The normative data (Rikli & Jones, n=7,183) was collected from community-dwelling adults aged 60-94.

Where do the percentile values come from?

The percentile curves come from the Senior Fitness Test Manual (Rikli & Jones 2013, 2nd ed., ISBN 978-1-4504-1118-9), which models P5 through P95 from the original sample of 7,183 community-dwelling US adults aged 60-94 (Rikli & Jones 1999, DOI). All five percentiles we display (P5, P25, P50, P75, P95) come directly from the source, so no approximation is needed.

Related Metrics

Senior Fitness Test Battery

This metric is part of the Senior Fitness Test, a validated 7-test battery for adults aged 60-94.