The Rikli and Jones Senior Citizen Fitness Test for assessing the functional fitness of older adults describe easy to understand and effective tests to measure aerobic fitness, strength and flexibility using the minimal and inexpensive equipment. The Individual fitness test items involve common activities such as getting up from a chair, walking, lifting, bending and stretching.
The tests are :
1. Chair Stand Test - testing lower body strength
2. Arm Curl Test - testing upper body strength
3. Chair sit and Reach Test - lower body flexibility test
4. Back Scratch Test - upper body flexibility test
5. 8 Foot Up and Go Test - agility test
6. Walk Test (6 min) - used to assess aerobic endurance
Arm Curl Test for upper body strength
It is a test of upper body strength. The purpose of this test is to measure upper body strength and endurance. The subject has to do as many arms curls as possible in 30 sec. This test is conducted on the dominant arm side (or stronger side).
Procedure:
1. The subject sits on the chair holding the weight (8 pounds for men / 5 pounds for women) in the hand using a suitcase grip (palm facing towards the body) with the arm in a vertically down position beside the chair.
2. The upper arm is placed against the body so that only the lower arm is moving (the tester may assist to hold the upper arm steady).
3. The subject curls the arm up through a full range of motion, gradually turning the palm up.
4. Then the arm is lowered through the full range of motion, gradually return to the starting position. The arm must be fully bent and then fully straightened at the elbow.
5. Repeat this action as many times as possible within 30 sec.
6. The score is the total number of controlled arm curls performed in 30 sec.
Chair Sit And Reach Test for lower body flexibility
This test is used to measure the flexibility of the back and leg (hamstring muscle) It is a kind of absolute and linear test of flexibility.
Equipment: A testing box or a flexomeasure and a yardstick.
Procedure:
The subject is asked to remove shoes and place his/her feet against the testing box while sitting on the floor with straight knees. Now the subject is asked to place one hand on top of the other so that the middle finger of both hands are together at the same length.
Chair Stand Test for lower body strength
The purpose of the Chair-Stand is to measure the strength of the lower body of adults over 60 years of age. Lower body strength is important for activities such as getting out of a chair, on the bus, out of the car, and rising up from a kneeling position in the house or garden. The strength of your lower body can directly affect the ease with which you perform the activities you do every day.
Equipment: Chair without arms, Stopwatch.
Procedure:
1. Place the chair against a wall where it will be stable.
2. Sit in the middle of the chair with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder width apart, back straight. Cross your arms at the wrist and place them against your chest.
3. The test partner will tell you when to begin and will time you for 30 seconds, using the stopwatch.
4. You will rise up to a full stand and sit again as many times as you can during the 30-second interval.
Eight Foot Up And Go Test for agility
This test is a coordination and agility test for senior citizens.
Equipment required: A chair with a straight back( about 44 cms high) a stopwatch, cone marker, measuring tape, an area without hindrance.
Procedure:
Keep chair next to the wall and the marker, 8 feet in front of the chair. The participant starts completely seated, with hands resting on the knees and feet flat on the ground. On the command ‘go’ stopwatch is started and the participant stands and walk (on running at all) as quickly as possible to and around the cone and returns to the chair to sit down. Time is noted as he sits down on the chair. Two trials are given to the participant.
Scoring: The best trial is recorded to the nearest 1/10th second.
Six Minute Walk Test for Aerobic Endurance
Procedure:
1. Start walking around the course as fast as you can but do not run.
2. Walk until 6 minutes.
