Single-leg hop tests used to judge limb symmetry and return-to-sport readiness.
The hop test battery refers to four standardised single-leg hopping tasks - single hop for distance, triple hop for distance, crossover hop for distance, and the 6-metre timed hop - used together or individually to assess lower-limb functional performance. They are most widely applied after ACL reconstruction and other significant knee injuries, typically as one component of a broader return-to-sport assessment.
These tests give the clinician an objective, functional readout of limb performance under load, speed and rotational demand, which static strength testing alone doesn't capture. Comparing involved to uninvolved limb performance (limb symmetry index) helps inform - alongside other criteria - whether a patient is approaching readiness to progress toward sport-specific training or competition.
Each hop is performed for distance (or time, for the 6-metre hop) on the involved limb and then the uninvolved limb, usually with two to three practice attempts followed by recorded trials, landing control also typically observed. A limb symmetry index is calculated as involved-limb performance divided by uninvolved-limb performance, expressed as a percentage, with values commonly reported against threshold benchmarks in the literature.
Limb symmetry index can be misleadingly reassuring, since the uninvolved limb itself may have deconditioned post-injury, inflating the ratio despite genuine bilateral deficits. The battery also captures distance or time but not movement quality unless landing mechanics are separately assessed, and hop tests should be interpreted as one part of a multifactorial return-to-sport decision rather than a standalone pass/fail criterion.
This guide was auto-drafted and is pending editorial review.