Flexibility check

Back touch

How close your hands come together behind your back, for shoulder flexibility on each side.

Start the check
  • About 2 minutes
  • Free, and no account needed
  • Not a diagnosis

01Understand the check

What back touch can tell you

Your shoulder flexibility, on each side.

  • What it measures

    How close your hands come together behind your back, one arm over your shoulder and the other up from below, on each side.

  • What it can't tell you

    An exact distance: you choose the description that matches best, from "Close to touching" to "Hands touching". Ongoing shoulder pain is worth checking with a physiotherapist.

  • What you need

    Nothing, though a mirror or a helper makes it easier to judge. About 2 minutes.

02Take the check

Choose what happened on each side

Your result appears straight away.

Back Touch Test

Left arm over shoulder, right arm up from below

Right arm over shoulder, left arm up from below

Add your age and sex Optional for this check

Some assessments compare your result with people of the same age and sex, so they can only give a rating once they know both. Sneaky will not guess. What you enter here stays on this device.

Move the slider towards the end that applies to you. The middle means “not stated”, and an assessment that compares by sex will then not give a rating.

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Sneaky works your result out on its own servers the moment you press this, not with AI.

03Your result

Your result appears here

As soon as you calculate.

Your shoulder scoreits rating

You'll see your shoulder score and its rating, with each side on the same four descriptions.

Worked out by Sneaky's own health maths, not by AI.

Shoulder flexibility ratings, from lowest to highest
  1. Needs Improvement
  2. Average
  3. Good
  4. Excellent

04Next steps

Where to go from here

One result is one clue. Add to the picture.

Complete the picture

Or do all 2 flexibility checks together, about 6 minutes plus rests, with one report: Flexibility assessment.

Full Analysis

All 13 checks, one report

Every check one at a time, in seven chapters, ending with one report: your stronger results, the areas to work on and how your left and right sides compare. Pause any time.

Take the Full Analysis

Beyond this check

See all 13 checks

05Good to know

Good to know

Quick answers about back touch.

Which description should I choose?

The one closest to what happened. The choices run from "Close to touching", with your hands furthest apart, to "Hands touching". A mirror, a photo or a helper makes it easier to judge.

How should I read my result?

Your two sides are combined into one score out of 3, rated from Needs Improvement to Excellent. Compare the two sides too: most people reach further on one side.

Why do it on both sides?

Most people reach further on one side. Comparing the two shows which shoulder needs more work.

Should I force my fingers together?

No. Reach to where it stops comfortably, without straining, and choose the description that matches.

When should I stop?

If your shoulder hurts or you feel pins and needles. Ongoing shoulder pain is worth checking with a physiotherapist.

If a result worries you, or you have symptoms, an injury or a health condition, talk to a doctor or another qualified professional. This check gives general information, not a diagnosis or medical advice.

More answers in the FAQ

Learn more about back touch4 short sections: what it measures, how it works, how to read it and how to use it

What the Back Touch Test Measures and Why It Matters

The Back Touch Test measures your shoulder mobility, flexibility, and upper body movement symmetry.

While it may seem simple, this test provides valuable insight into how well your shoulders can move through their full range of motion — a key factor in posture, injury prevention, and everyday movement.

At Sneaky Helpers, we go beyond simply checking whether your hands touch.

We interpret your performance in the context of reach distance, side-to-side balance, and your overall body profile, helping turn a basic flexibility test into a more meaningful mobility assessment.

Good shoulder mobility supports:

  • Healthy posture
  • Efficient upper body movement
  • Reduced risk of strain and injury
  • Better performance in both training and daily activities

How the Test Works and Its Accuracy

The test is simple to perform and requires no equipment:

  1. Stand upright with a neutral posture
  2. Reach one arm over your shoulder and down your back
  3. Reach your opposite arm behind your back and upward
  4. Try to touch your fingertips together, or get as close as possible
  5. Measure or estimate the gap between your fingers

While traditional versions of this test focus only on whether your fingers touch, our approach considers additional factors to provide a more balanced and realistic view of your shoulder mobility.

This makes the result more useful, especially when combined with your other Sneaky Helpers assessments.

How to Interpret Your Results

At a basic level, smaller gaps between your fingertips indicate better shoulder flexibility.

However, your result is not just about distance.

Two people can have the same reach gap but very different movement quality, balance, or physical constraints. That’s why your result is translated into a personalized mobility score, giving you a clearer understanding of your true shoulder function.

You may notice:

  • Strong mobility on one side but not the other
  • Balanced but limited flexibility
  • Or high mobility with good symmetry

These insights are often more valuable than a simple pass/fail result.

Practical Guidance for Users

To improve your Back Touch Test performance:

  • Stretch both shoulders regularly using controlled, gentle movements
  • Focus on symmetry — train both sides equally
  • Incorporate exercises like:
    • Shoulder dislocations (band work)
    • Wall slides
    • Thoracic spine mobility drills
  • Avoid forcing the movement — flexibility improves gradually
  • Retest periodically under the same conditions to track progress