Home > Fitness Testing > Tests > Balance > Stork

The stork balance test requires the person to stand on one leg, up on the ball of the foot, for as long as possible. The similar Flamingo Balance Test is different as it requires the subject to balance on a board.

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purpose: To assess whole body balance ability.

equipment required: flat, non-slip surface, stopwatch, paper and pencil.

pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender, test conditions. Perform an appropriate warm-up. See more details of pre-test procedures.

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 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. See also the similar flamingo balance test.

Alpha-Fit Version: in the Alpha-Fit version of this test, the hand do not need to be placed on the hip, and timing stops if the hands go above the horizontal level. There is also a 60 second maximum score.

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

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Similar Tests

• One Leg Stand — the US sobriety test, stand with one foot off the ground for 30 seconds
• Flamingo Balance Test — stand on one leg while balancing on a beam
• Standing Balance Test — stand on one leg for as long as possible.
• Stick Lengthwise Test — balance on a stick for as long as possible, standing side-on on the balls of both feet.

Related Pages

• Other balance tests

Old Comments

Commenting is closed on this page, though you can read some previous comments below which may answer some of your questions.

• Angellover667 ! (2017)
  Can you please include the fitness component next time you do an article because I'm doing a HPE assignment on my fitness and one of the questions are to tell them the fitness component.
  • Lara nattrass Angellover667 ! (2019)
    Its balance
• Pestudent (2017)
  advantages, disadvantages, reliability, validity?
• Cara Stollings (2018)
  Why would anyone need to be tested for balance on the ball of the foot?? This is the most ridiculous test I have ever seen, and my professor seems to think it is a valid test for athletes! Does anyone actually rely on this for evaluations? 1979!? Could someone please perform this test and record it for us to see for ourselves that it is possible, and whom would this test be valid for? What athlete besides a dancer or gymnast would need to balance on the ball of one foot? Come on Top End Sports, there are professors giving students this information to test their future clients and athletes with! Update your website with tests that are being used in today's world, and not just every test ever dreamed up and published. I would love to see someone hold this pose for 60 seconds.
• Lara Cristiana Portela Cara Stollings (2019)
  This test does not just test the ability to balance on the ball of your foot, if you are not aware balance is the ability to maintain in a vertical line from the center of mass of the body within the base of support, therefore this test will measure how good you are at keeping your balance in general whether you are standing on the ball of your foot of the tip of your fingers it does not matter as it is the ability to keep the body within the base of support.
• Heinrich Vreken Cara Stollings (2020)
  I am twelve years old and u said you would like to see someone do for 60 seconds? I did it for 2:30 minutes