The Back Pain Assessment was designed to get a snapshot into some underlying issues which may be causing your back pain. A number of these assessments will also be used to measure your progress moving forward.
No equipment is necessary to complete these assessments, however you will need access to a phone/camera to film each exercise.

The Assessments

The Back Pain Functional Scale

This questionnaire is designed to allow me to assess functional limitations caused by your back pain, in order to judge progress throughout the program and adapt the training to suit.

Overhead Squat Assessment

  • A great assessment to identify a wide range of muscle weaknesses, limitations or imbalances
  • Hold a broom straight above your head (if no broom, an exercise band or simply your hands is fine)
  • Squat down as far as you (comfortably) can
  • Repeat 5x front on, 5x side on (please ensure the camera catches your feet)
  • Please do this barefoot
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Klatt Test

  • This assessment is designed to identify any single leg instability which may affect your knee pain or hiking in general
  • Find a small step, set up standing on one foot with toes over the edge, hands held in front of you, looking straight ahead
  • Hop off and try to land on one foot softly
  • If you hop off and don't feel any challenge to stabilise please increase the height of the step slightly
  • Please do this barefoot
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Single Leg Glute Bridge Assessment

  • This assessment is designed to measure muscular strength and endurance in the posterior chain 
  • Lie flat on the floor. Place one foot in line with the opposite knee. Raise the other leg to about 45 degrees. Cross the arms over the chest
  • Push up through the heel on the floor and raise your hips. Hold the top position for a moment. Then lower to the floor for 2 seconds
  • Repeat as many times as you can on each leg
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Single Leg Balance Assessment

  • Do this barefoot
  • Cross arms over chest
  • Stand on one leg and close your eyes
  • Hold this as long as you can (if you reach 60 seconds you can stop)
  • If you cannot reach 10 seconds, repeat this assessment with your eyes open
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Rotary Stability Assessment

  • A simple assessment to assess dynamic core stability
  • Start on hands and knees (hands under shoulders and knees under hip
  • Slowly raise the opposite hand and leg and reach out to horizontal
  • Slowly bring limb back to the centre and touch the elbow to the knee
  • Repeat this five times on each side
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Plank Assessment

  • An easy way to judge abdominal endurance
  • Please hold as long as you can
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Hiking Pain Assessment

  • Choose a local hike which is a moderate challenge
  • Go on the hike sometime in the next week
  • On the hike, note down the exact moment you start to feel any back pain (write this down)
  • Record the severity of the pain (1-10)
  • Record any other moments if the back pain gets worse throughout the hike


*This assessment will be repeated a few times in the process, so choose a hike which is easily accessible
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** I do not require you to complete this assessment before I put your program together, however, try your best to complete this within 10 days of starting the program. 

Sending The Videos

​Sending the videos can often be the trickiest part of the process...
 
Here are three good options for you:

  1. ​www.wetransfer.com
  2. Facebook messenger (to the Rowan's personal account)
  3. Instagram messenger (to summmitstrength.au)

    *Please do not send these to the Summit Strength business account on Facebook, as we have been locked out of this and cannot currently access messaged. 

The Next Steps

Once I receive the videos from you, I will get started on your program. Depending on what day you get me on, it will usually take between 24-48 hours to put together something great.

You will know that the programming is ready when you receive an email from me. (If you do not already have the Training App, you will also receive an email with the download link at this time as well)
 
So get those videos done, send them over and then get yourself ready for a big 12 weeks!