Brockport Physical Fitness Test for Special Populations
Musculoskeletal Functioning, Muscular Strength/Endurance
Trunk lift: Measuring trunk extensor strength, students lie face down and slowly raise their upper body long enough for the tester to measure the distance between the floor and the student’s chin
Dominant grip strength: student attempts to squeeze a grip dynamometer with their stronger hand to generate as much force as possible.
Bench press: While lying on his back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight and the elbows locked
Isometric push-up: student attempts to hold a raised push-up position for up to 40 seconds.
Push-up: Measuring upper body strength and endurance, students lower body to a 90-degree elbow angle and push up. Set to a specified pace, students complete as many repetitions as possible
Seated push-up: while seated on floor or in wheelchair student uses handles or push-up blocks to push bottom off the surface and holds for up to 20 seconds.
Dumbbell press: student lifts a 15lbs dumbbell (with their dominant hand, with elbow flexed and flex the shoulder so that the weight is lifted straight up and above the shoulder) as many times as possible up to 50 repetitions, in a specific cadence
Reverse curl: student attempts to pick up a 1 lb dumbbell with the preferred arm while seated in a chair.
Push/walk (40m): student walks or pushes their wheelchair a distance of 40 meters with a 5 meter start zone at a speed comfortable to them.
Wheelchair ramp test: student attempts to push self in wheelchair up a standard wheelchair ramp.
Curl-Up: Measuring abdominal strength and endurance, students lie down with knees bent and feet unanchored. Set to a specified pace, students complete as many repetitions as possible to a maximum of 75
Curl-Up modified: hands are placed on thighs, as the student curls up the hands slide along the thighs until the fingertips contact the patella.
Extended arm hang: student hangs from a bar for as long as possible (up to 40 seconds)
Flexed arm hang: Students hang their chin above a bar as long as possible
Pull Up: student begins in a straight arm hang and pulls body upward until the chin is above the bar.
Pull Up (modified) : (proper equipment required) – With hands on a low bar, legs straight and feet touching the ground, students pull up as many repetitions as possible
Body Composition
Skinfold measures: Measuring percent body fat by testing the tricep and calves
Body mass index: Measured using height and weight
Aerobic Functioning
PACER test (20m or 15m): (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) – Set to music, a paced, 20-meter shuttle run increasing in intensity as time progresses
Target Aerobic Movement Test: Students exercise at or above target heart rate for 15 minutes. (arm cycle, aerobic steps, or any other activity of sufficient intensity to reach a minimal target heart rate and sustain it
One-mile run: Students run (or walk if needed) one mile as fast as they can
Walk Test: Students walk one mile as fast as they can (for ages 13 or above since the test has only been validated for this age group)
Flexibility
Back saver sit and reach: Testing one leg at a time, students sit with one knee bent and one leg straight against a box and reach forward
Shoulder Stretch: With one arm over the shoulder and one arm tucked under behind the back, students try to touch their fingers and then alternate arms
Apley Test (modified): student attempts to touch mouth( 1 point), top of head(2 points) and between the shoulder blades(3 points) using right and then left hand and is scored points.
Thomas Test (modified): student lays supine on table and lifts knee toward chest, the tester then measures how much the thigh of the opposite leg comes off the table.
Target stretch test: estimates movement extent in a joint (wrist extension, elbow extension, shoulder extension, shoulder abduction, shoulder external rotation, forearm supination, forearm pronation, and knee extension