Fitness Testing

Stork Balance Stand Test

purpose: To assess the ability to balance on the ball of the foot.
equipment required: flat, non-slip surface, stopwatch, paper and pencil.
description / procedure: Remove the shoes and place the hands on the hips, then position the non-supporting foot against the inside knee of the supporting leg. The subject is given one minute to practice the balance. The subject raises the heel to balance on the ball of the foot. The stopwatch is started as the heel is raised from the floor. The stopwatch is stopped if any of the follow occur:
- the hand(s) come off the hips
- the supporting foot swivels or moves (hops) in any direction
- the non-supporting foot loses contact with the knee.
- the heel of the supporting foot touches the floor.

Scoring: The total time in seconds is recorded. The score is the best of three attempts. The adjacent table lists general ratings for this test.
Variations: the stork balance test is also sometimes conducted with the eyes closed, giving it a higher level of difficulty.

Reference: Johnson BL, Nelson JK. Practical measurements for evaluation in physical education. 4th Edit. Minneapolis: Burgess, 1979.