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Related Experiment Videos

Toe-touch test. A measure of its validity.

V Kippers1, A W Parker

  • 1Department of Anatomy, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.

Physical Therapy
|November 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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The fingertip-floor distance (FFD) during the toe-touch test primarily reflects hamstring flexibility, not vertebral mobility. This makes the toe-touch test unreliable for assessing treatments aimed at improving spinal flexibility.

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Kinesiology
  • Musculoskeletal Health

Background:

  • The toe-touch test is commonly used to assess trunk flexion.
  • Understanding the components of trunk flexion, including hip and vertebral movement, is crucial for accurate assessment.
  • The fingertip-floor distance (FFD) is a common measurement in this test.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between vertical fingertip-floor distance (FFD) and hip and vertebral components of trunk flexion during the toe-touch test.
  • To determine the suitability of the toe-touch test for monitoring interventions aimed at improving vertebral mobility.

Main Methods:

  • Lateral photographs were taken of healthy young adults (n=33) in erect and maximally flexed positions.
  • Measurements included vertical fingertip-floor distance (FFD), hip flexion, and vertebral flexion.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Test-retest reliability was assessed using correlation coefficients.

    • Main Results:

    • The FFD showed high reliability (r = .97).
    • FFD was strongly correlated with trunk flexion (r = -.85) and hip flexion (r = -.79), but not vertebral flexion (r = .10).
    • A significant negative partial correlation (r = -.64, p < .01) between vertebral flexion and FFD, controlling for hip flexion, indicated FFD is a poor indicator of vertebral mobility.

    Conclusions:

    • The fingertip-floor distance (FFD) in the toe-touch test is primarily influenced by hamstring extensibility limiting hip flexion, not vertebral mobility.
    • The toe-touch test is unsuitable for monitoring treatment efficacy for improving vertebral mobility due to confounding hip flexion.
    • No significant correlations were found between FFD and limb length or abdominal girth in this cohort.