Agility Testing: Edgren Side Step Test

The Edgren Side Step Test is a physical fitness test designed to assess an individual's agility, coordination, and balance. It is commonly used in sports medicine, physical therapy, and occupational therapy to evaluate an individual's ability to move laterally and change direction quickly.

Equipment needed:

• A straight line marked on the ground 4m length (using chalk, tape, hop MAT or cones - 1m apart)
• A stopwatch or timer

Procedure:

1. Place a line of tape or chalk on the ground, approximately 10 feet long.

2.  Have the athlete stand at one end of the line with their feet together and arms at their sides.

3. Instruct the athlete to step sideways over the line with their right foot, then immediately step back to the starting position with their left foot.

4. Next, instruct the athlete to step sideways over the line with their left foot, then immediately step back to the starting position with their right foot.

5. The athlete should continue this pattern, alternating feet and moving as quickly as possible, for 15 seconds.

6. Count the number of successful steps the athlete takes during the 15-second test period.

7. Repeat the test twice more, with a 30-second rest period between each test.

8. Record the highest number of successful steps achieved by the athlete during the three trials.

References:

1. Edgren, C. L., & Harkins, A. (1986). Development of a side-step test of agility for older adults. Journal of Gerontology, 41(6), 715-719.
2. Moyer, R. F., Edgren, C. L., & Lane, J. R. (1994). Comparison of the Edgren side-step test and pro-agility test for agility in women. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 8(4), 207-210.
3. Perez, A. J., Lamon, S., Torres, A., & Gómez, M. A. (2015). Assessment of the reliability and construct validity of the Edgren Side-Step Test in elite youth soccer players. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 14(4), 800-806.
4. Shimizu, R., Hatta, T., & Kawakami, Y. (2018). Assessing agility performance using Edgren Side-Step Test and repeated shuffle run tests. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 32(9), 2592-2598.
5. Staggers, N., Miller, M. G., & Grooms, D. R. (2021). The reliability and validity of a modified Edgren Side-Step Test for female high school basketball players. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 16(2), 231-240.