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Last updated: Fri, Feb 7, 2025
Functional testing tests “function,” the ability of a person to do particular things. If you have ever reported low back pain to your doctor, you are probably already familiar with one group of functional tests. The doctor asked you to bend forward and to the side; to rise on your toes. He laid you down on your back and lifted your straight leg; and did several other tests. He observed your range of motion and whether particular motions seemed to increase your pain. These tests are designed to reveal whether you have a damaged or constrained spinal nerve root, perhaps a broken vertebra or spinal tumor, or simply what they call “non-specific back pain.”
Functional tests are intended to reveal the maximum that you are capable of doing. A good functional test provides what they call objective evidence of your capabilities. An ideal test can't be faked, but this is academic since no ideal functional tests exist. This latter is an issue that comes up in the context of medical evaluation and disability evaluation, where it is assumed that the subject may appear more limited than he/she actually is. The reasons why this may happen are felt to be different in an experimental context than in a medical or disability evaluation.
Along with range-of-motion tests, tests of strength and work capacity (the ability to perform at some level for a period of time) exist. Trunk strength, lifting capacity, and aerobic capacity can all be tested. They can be tested simply, with little equipment, or using expensive, purpose-designed equipment.