RELATIONS OF SIT-UP AND SIT-AND-REACH TESTS TO LOW-BACK-PAIN IN ADULTS

The sit-up and sit-and-reach tests are found on nearly all youth and a dult fitness tests because of the perceived relation between performan ce on these tests and low back pain. However, this relationship has no t been well validated Therefore, the purpose of the study was to exami ne the relationship between performance on these two common field test s of muscular strength and flexibility (the sit-up and the sit-and-rea ch tests) and self-reported low back pain (LBP). The sample included 2 ,747 adults with a mean age of 44.6 +/- 9.8 years. The 1-minute sit-up (mean = 30.9 +/- 10.6) and sit-and-reach tests (mean = 39.88 +/- 10.4 9 cm) were administered to participants as part of a voluntary clinica l health and fitness evaluation between 1980 and 1990. Participants co mpleted a mail-back survey in 1990 on musculoskeletal health problems. Low back pain was quantified by developing an ordinal variable from q uestionnaire responses which represented a range of severity of LBP fr om none (0) to LBP which required medical cafe (3). With an average of 6.1 +/- (+/-2.0) years of follow-up, IBP was reported by 54% of the s tudy participants (men = 45%, women = 54%). Pearson correlations betwe en sit-up (r = .002; p = .94), sit-and-reach (r = -.043; p = .03), and LBP indicated poor LBP criterion-related validity from the sit-up and sit-and-reach tests. Partial correlations, where age, gender percent oi body fat, and time between testing and survey response were control led displayed no increase in the relationship, This study does not sup port the validity of sit-up and sit-and-reach test items for health-re lated fitness batteries because they were unrelated to LBP.