Fitness Testing

Fitness Testing > Tests > Strength > Abdominal Strength 3

Abdominal Strength Test - straight leg lift

purpose: The purpose of this test is to estimate the degree of abdominal strength. Poor abdominal muscle strength can cause poor posture leading to lower back pain.
equipment required: flat surface, an abdominal strength test board with different degrees of angle marked (otherwise, you can use a protractor, flexometer or goniometer to measure the leg angle)

description / procedure: The subject lays supine on the floor next to the abdominal strength test board. The hip joint should be aligned to the intersection of the scale. The arms are held across the chest and the head rested on the floor. The testor places their finger tips underneath the subject's lower back. Both legs are raised to a 90-dregee angle (vertically) while keeping the upper body flat on the floor. The subject may bend their knees first to move to the starting position, before straightening the knee joint. The subject aims to sustain the pressure on the testor's fingers under the lower back by contracting the abdominals as the legs are lowered. The subject slowly lowers both legs until the pressure on the hand behind the back disappears. The lowest angle observed as the pressure is taken off is the measurement of their abdominal strength.

scoring: The score is the angle of the legs in degrees from the floor. Below is a guide to scoring for this test

advantages: simple test with minimal equipment needed
comments: The muscles that play a major role in the effort to maintain the position of the low back and pelvis during the leg-lowering movement are the rectums abdominals and external oblique muscles.