Comparing the Sit and Reach with the Modified Sit and Reach in Measuring Flexibility in Adolescents

This study compared the proposed modified sit and reach test (MSR) and the commonly administered sit and reach test (SR) to determine if the MSR can administratively control possible limb-length biases. Subjects (N=258) were administered two trials of each test. The MSR test incorporates a finger-to-box distance (FBD) to account for proportional differences between legs and arms. Individuals with high FBD measurements demonstrated a poorer performance on the SR test. An analysis of the subjects failing to meet the Physical Best standard (25 cm) indicated a higher probability of failure for those with larger FBD scores. The subjects were subsequently separated into three groups: high, medium, and low FBD. There were no significant difference among the groups on MSR performance but a significant difference was found on SR performance. The MSR test appears to eliminate the concern of disproportionate limb-length bias expressed by many practitioners.