Which assessment uses a squat with arms extended overhead to evaluate depth, alignment, and compensations?

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This item measures how well the body coordinates mobility and stability across the ankles, knees, hips, spine, and shoulders when you squat with the arms extended overhead. Keeping the arms overhead creates a demand on shoulder flexion and thoracic spine mobility while you descend, so you can observe depth, alignment, and any compensations that arise as the movement unfolds. You look for how deep you can go while your heels stay down, knees track over the toes, and the trunk stays relatively upright instead of tipping forward or arching excessively. Common compensations include heels coming off the ground, knees caving inward, excessive forward lean, or loss of neutral spine—all of which indicate movement restrictions or instability in the integrated chain. Because this test specifically uses an overhead position to reveal these combined mobility and stability issues, it best fits the described assessment.