Agility Testing: Modified Edgren Side Step Test

Lateral movement is essential in sports such as basketball, football, soccer, netball and tennis. The Modified Edgren Side Step Test gives professionals a simple field-based way to assess how a client side-steps, crosses over, changes direction and maintains control under time pressure.

It should be used as a performance and progress-tracking test, not as a diagnostic test.

Quick Summary

Test name: Modified Edgren Side Step Test
Purpose: Assess lateral agility and planned change-of-direction speed
What it measures: Side-stepping, crossover control, coordination, lateral movement speed and movement rhythm
Equipment: Six cones or markers, flat surface, measuring tape, stopwatch or timing gates
Score: Completion time
Best used with: Edgren Side Step Test, Agility T-Test, Illinois Agility Test, 505 Agility Test, lateral hop test and single-leg balance
Key limitation: It is pre-planned and does not measure reactive agility

What Is the Modified Edgren Side Step Test?

The Modified Edgren Side Step Test is a planned lateral agility test. The MAT article describes six cones arranged in a straight line and zigzag pattern, requiring the client to side-step, crossover and move laterally through the course as quickly as possible.  

Why It Is Used

It is used to monitor lateral movement capacity, change-of-direction confidence, coordination and control. It can help identify hesitation, poor rhythm, balance issues or reduced lateral quickness, especially in athletes who need to defend, shuffle, evade or reposition.

What It Measures

The test measures planned lateral agility, side-step speed, crossover coordination and body control. It does not measure diagnosis, injury status, sport decision-making or return-to-sport clearance on its own.

Who It Is Useful For

This test may be useful for field sport athletes, court sport athletes, tactical populations, general fitness clients and later-stage rehabilitation clients who are ready for multidirectional movement.

Equipment Required

Use six cones or floor markers, a measuring tape, flat non-slip surface, stopwatch or timing gates, and Measurz for recording.

Step-by-Step Protocol / Practice

Set up the cones as per the MAT version: six cones in a straight line, approximately 3 feet apart, with three cones positioned on each side of the middle cone approximately 5 feet away to create a zigzag pattern.  

Ask the client to complete a progressive warm-up including jogging, lateral shuffles and submaximal changes of direction.

The client starts at the first cone on the left side, facing the right side of the course. On “go”, they side-step to the second cone on the right side, return, then complete the crossover and side-step sequence through the course. Time the attempt from the start signal until the client passes the finish point. Record the time to the nearest tenth of a second. Complete three trials with adequate rest and record the fastest valid time.  

Scoring and Interpretation

The score is completion time. A faster valid time generally suggests better planned lateral change-of-direction performance.

A slower time may suggest reduced lateral quickness, poor coordination, balance difficulty, fatigue, pain, reduced confidence or unfamiliarity with the pattern. Interpret the score with movement quality, pain, symptoms, surface, footwear and related strength or hop results.

Normative Data, Benchmarks or Reference Values

Benchmark level: Level 3 — practical comparison guidance.

No high-quality published normative values were found for the exact MAT Modified Edgren Side Step Test setup, cone spacing, timing and scoring method.

Use the client’s own baseline, repeated tests under the same setup, sport demands, pain response, confidence and movement quality. Do not compare this result directly with standard Edgren Side Step Test norms because the course and scoring method differ.

Reliability and Validity

Evidence for the exact MAT Modified Edgren Side Step Test protocol is limited. A related accelerometry study used a modified Edgren Side Step Test along a 4 m path and found that accelerometer-derived total time was not significantly different from stopwatch timing, supporting the potential value of instrumented timing for this type of lateral agility test.  

For clinical or coaching use, reliability depends on consistent cone spacing, instructions, footwear, surface, warm-up, timing method, trial number and rest.

Sensitivity and Specificity

Sensitivity and specificity are not applicable for routine use. This is a performance test, not a stand-alone diagnostic test.

Common Errors and Limitations

Common errors include inconsistent cone spacing, unclear course instructions, crossing the feet differently between trials, cutting corners, slipping, timing inconsistently and comparing results with other Edgren test versions.

The test is planned, so it does not assess reactive agility, opponent response or sport decision-making.

Practical Applications

Use this test to monitor lateral movement confidence, assess change-of-direction progress, support return-to-sport progression and complement strength, hop, balance and sprint testing.

How to Record This in Measurz

Record completion time, trial number, best score, cone setup, surface, footwear, timing method, pain score, confidence, fatigue, symptoms, invalid trials and movement notes. Add comments about hesitation, crossover quality, trunk control, slipping or balance loss.

Related Tests / Internal Links

Modified Edgren Side Step Test, Edgren Side Step Test, Agility T-Test, Illinois Agility Test, 505 Agility Test, lateral hop test, single-leg balance and lower-limb strength testing.

FAQs

What does the Modified Edgren Side Step Test measure?
It measures planned lateral agility, side-stepping, crossover movement and change-of-direction control.

Is it diagnostic?
No. It supports performance monitoring and assessment reasoning but does not diagnose injury.

What is a good score?
No exact published benchmark was found for this MAT setup. Use baseline and retesting.

How many trials should be completed?
The MAT article describes three attempts, with the fastest valid attempt used as the score.  

Can it be compared with the standard Edgren Side Step Test?
Not directly. The setup, movement pattern and scoring differ.

Key Takeaways

The Modified Edgren Side Step Test is a practical lateral agility test. Keep the cone setup, timing method, surface and instructions consistent. Use it to track change over time, not to diagnose or clear a client on its own.

References

Wilshaw, W. R., Stevens, A. M., Anderson, A. M., & Tulchin-Francis, K. (2020). Validation of accelerometry data to identify movement patterns during agility testing. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2, 563809. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.563809 

Wilkerson, G. B., Colston, M. A., Short, N. I., & Neal, K. L. (2012). Comparison of modified Edgren side-step test and pro-agility test results in collegiate football players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(7), 1824–1827.