Establishing Normative Values for Single Leg Hop Test in School-going Children Aged 8-15 years: A Cross-sectional Study from Haryana, India
Published: June 1, 2026 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2026/87906.23527
Jasmeet Kaur, Manu Goyal, Aradhana Chhabra, Kanu Goyal
1. Postgraduate Student, MM Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India.
2. Professor, MM Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India.
3. Postgraduate Student, MM Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India.
4. Assistant Professor, MM Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala, Haryana, India.
Correspondence
Dr. Kanu Goyal,
Assistant Professor, MM Institute of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, Ambala,
Haryana-133207, India.
E-mail: kanu.goyal@mmumullana.org
Introduction: The Single Leg Hop Test (SLHT) is a functional tool used to evaluate unilateral lower limb power and dynamic stability in paediatric populations. Although, it is widely used in clini-cal and research settings, standardised reference ranges for school-going children are not well-established, limiting the ability of consistent interpretation of performance results.
Aim: To establish normative values for the SLHT among school going children aged 8-15 years.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at MM International School, Mul-lana, Ambala, Haryana, India from January 2025 to December 2025. This study included 330 school-going children aged between 8-15 years. Participants were stratified by age and gender. The test was conducted using standardised procedures, and hop distance was recorded as the primary outcome measure. Age and gender-specific reference ranges were established using descriptive statistics, including mean values, standard deviations, and percentile distributions to measure the changes in functional performance.
Results: A total of 330 school-going children aged 8-15 years were analysed. The mean distances of the single leg hop were 85.04±28.46 cm for the right leg and 81.83±29.66 cm for the left leg. Hop performance improved gradually with age (p<0.001). Females demonstrated slightly longer hop distances than males; however, the difference was not statistically significant, while higher Body Mass Index (BMI) showed lower hop performance outcomes (p<0.05). The children showed age-related improvements in lower-limb strength, balance, and functional ability. In addition, for the reliability testing of SLHT, another sample of 166 school-going children across different BMI categories was analysed. Excellent re-liability was observed for both limbs, with Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) of 0.99 for right and left leg hop distances (95% CI: 0.987-0.996, p<0.001).
Conclusion: The present study provides age and gender-specific normative values for the SLHT in school-going children, reporting age-related improvements, slightly higher performance in females, and a mild negative influence of higher BMI, thus supporting its standardised use in paediatric functional assessment.
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