Mobility and Flexibility Tests: The Complete Guide for Trainers and Physical Therapists

Mobility and flexibility are two of the most underrated — and most worthwhile to assess — aspects of any initial evaluation. A hip mobility deficit can explain recurring low back pain, a lack of ankle dorsiflexion can be behind a squat that "doesn't go deep enough," and thoracic stiffness can completely limit a bench press or an efficient front-crawl swim.

The good news: most of these tests don't require expensive equipment (a basic goniometer and, in some cases, a wall or a treatment table are enough), and they provide immediate, actionable information for designing a training program or a physical therapy plan.

In this guide we've put together 21 mobility and flexibility tests, organized by body area and type of assessment, so you know exactly which one to use and when.

The 21 mobility and flexibility tests

Test	When to use it
Thomas Test	Suspected tightness of hip flexors (psoas, rectus femoris) in clients who sit for many hours
Schober Test	Objectively measure lumbar flexion, useful for low back pain and tracking spinal stiffness
Ober Test	Lateral knee or hip pain in runners, suspected tight IT band
Sit and Reach Test	Quick, standardized assessment of hamstring/lower back flexibility, ideal for fitness test batteries
Functional Movement Screen (FMS)	Full movement screening for new clients, especially those training with loads
Toe Touch Test	First quick visual check of posterior chain flexibility, no equipment needed
Overhead Squat Assessment	Global analysis of compensations (ankle, hip, spine, shoulder) during an overhead squat
Ankle Mobility Test (lunge)	Squats that "fall forward" or heels that lift off during a squat
Hip 90/90 Mobility Test	Assess hip internal/external rotation with motor control, relevant for trunk rotation (golf, throwing)
Apley Scratch Test (shoulder)	Quick screening of combined shoulder mobility in upper body assessments
Hip FABER Test	Passive flexibility of hip adductors/external rotators, and sacroiliac screening
Shoulder Flexibility Test (goniometry)	Precise measurement of shoulder ranges when visual screening isn't enough
Ely Test (quadriceps)	Anterior knee pain, suspected tight rectus femoris
Thoracic Mobility Test (rotation)	Limitations in bench press, golf/padel rotations, or neck pain associated with thoracic stiffness
Active Knee Extension (AKE)	Passive, objective measurement of hamstring flexibility
Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR)	Posterior chain assessment WITH a motor control/core component, useful in lumbopelvic pain
Wall Slide Test (shoulder)	Combined shoulder mobility and scapular control, especially for overhead pressing patterns
Wrist Mobility Test	Sports involving hand support: weightlifting, calisthenics, CrossFit, gymnastics
Combined Elevation Test (swimmers)	Swimmers with inefficient technique or low back pain while swimming front crawl/backstroke/butterfly
General Joint Goniometry	Reference method for measuring ROM in any joint with a goniometer
Cervical Spine Mobility Test	Neck pain, prolonged screen work, or after neck injuries

How to choose the right test for your context

It doesn't make sense (or there isn't time) to run 21 tests on every client. Some practical criteria for prioritizing:

• First assessment with a new client? Start with a broad screen: the FMS or Overhead Squat Assessment give you a general picture of compensations before digging into specific areas.

• Low back pain? Combine the Schober Test, Thomas Test and ASLR — lumbar stiffness, tight hip flexors and posterior chain control tend to be related.

• Squat "not going deep enough"? Check ankle mobility and hip 90/90 mobility — most depth limitations come from there, not from the shoes.

• Upper body work (press, pull-ups, overhead)? Apley Scratch, Wall Slide and thoracic mobility are your basic trio.

• Runner with lateral knee or hip discomfort? Don't forget the Ober Test.

• Athlete with hand-support demands (CrossFit, gymnastics, weightlifting)? Add the wrist mobility test.

• Swimmer? The Combined Elevation Test picks up exactly the shoulder limitation that most affects technique.

• Need an objective value you can compare over time? General goniometry, the Schober Test and the AKE give you numbers, not just visual impressions — they're the easiest to track session by session.

The value is in tracking, not in a single data point

A mobility test done once tells you "how things stand" for your client today. Repeated every few weeks, it tells you whether your program is working. That's where most trainers and physios lose information: the data stays on a loose sheet or in someone's memory, and nobody compares it with the previous assessment.

With Movalytics you can log any of these 21 tests (angles, distances, FMS scores, visual results) in each athlete's or patient's profile, and automatically see the evolution in charts. That way you can demonstrate real progress — or catch early on that something isn't working and adjust in time.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many mobility tests should I run in a first assessment? You don't need to run them all. A good starting point is a general screen (FMS or Overhead Squat Assessment) and, from there, dig deeper with 2-4 specific tests based on the areas where you spot limitations or the discomfort the client reports. How often should these tests be repeated? Every 6-8 weeks tends to be a good pace to see real changes in mobility, unless you're working on a very specific limitation with closer monitoring (in that case, every 2-3 weeks). Is lack of mobility always the problem? Not necessarily. Sometimes the range is fine, but there's a lack of motor control within that range (that's why tests like the ASLR or FMS combine flexibility with stability). Having mobility doesn't help much if it can't be actively controlled. Are these tests useful for the general population or just athletes? Both. For the general population, they help identify limitations that cause pain or poor posture in daily life (office work, driving); for athletes, they're also directly related to technical efficiency and sport-specific injury prevention. Do I need specialized equipment for these tests? Most can be done with minimal equipment: a treatment table or the floor, a wall, and optionally an affordable goniometer (10-15€) or a tape measure. Only the Sit and Reach benefits from a specific box, though it can also be improvised.