Lateral Step Down

Start: Participants began in a single-leg stance on their dominant leg atop a 30-cm high box with the non-stance leg positioned just lateral to the box and the hands placed on the hips.

Movement: Bend the stance knee to lower the heel of the non-stance leg to barely touch the ground, then return to standing.

Criteria:

• Hands on hips
• Pelvis in a level position
• Trunk remains still with no leaning to the side
• Knee pointed straight over second toe, moving past end of foot
• Heel stays on the step with even weight across the foot

Scoring:

3 points: All Alignment requirements maintained for 5 repetitions to the beat of a metronome set at 58 bpm.

2 points: All alignment requirements maintained for a single repetition, holding heel of non-stance limb in lowered position for 3 seconds then returning to start position.

1 point: >3/5 alignment requirements maintained.

An alternate version of this test can be performed to the beat of a metronome, repeating the same movement for five consecutive repetitions metronome set to 58bpm. Scoring criteria will be the same in that for a full 3 points all criteria must be maintained throughout the test for all five repetitions.