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)

Equipment
  • 17-inch (43 cm) straight-back chair
  • 18-inch (45 cm) ruler
Protocol Steps
  1. Sit on the front edge of the chair; one leg extended straight out, heel on the floor, toes pointing up.
  2. Keep the other foot flat on the floor.
  3. After a demonstration, determine the preferred leg and complete two practice reaches on that leg.
  4. With both hands overlapping and middle fingers aligned, slowly reach forward along the extended leg.
  5. Hold the furthest reach position for 2 seconds.
Scoring

Measure the distance between the tip of the middle fingers and the top of the shoe. Record as positive (past the toes) or negative (short of the toes), to the nearest 0.5 inch. Perform two trials on the preferred leg; record the best score.

Notes

Keep the spine and head aligned, exhale during the reach, and do not bounce or stretch to pain. If the knee bends, slowly sit back until it is straight before scoring.

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 female median is roughly 2 to 3 inches higher than the male median. 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.