Why do we do the Back Saver Sit & Reach?

The Back Saver Sit & Reach assesses hamstring flexibility in both legs. It is important to work on the flexibility of your hamstrings, especially if involved in sports or regular physical activity. This is because it is very easy to pull the hamstring muscles as those muscles get stronger. By keeping the hamstrings flexible, it will decrease the risk of injury. Also, hamstring flexibility decreases with age.

We do the assessment one leg at a time in order to determine any possible variations, or assymmetry, in one leg from the other. By keeping one leg bent, it also prevents hyperextension in the legs and lower back. This, again, will reduce likeliness of injury.

Because of the way this assessment is performed, it does not incorporate any lower back muscles. This way, you do not strain any of those muscles when assessing the hamstrings. Because it does not require use of the lower back, the Back Saver Sit & Reach is not an indicator of flexibility of the lower back.