← All test guides
VueMotion logoVueMotion · Movement Analysis
Test protocol · Change of direction · Recreational

Single-Leg Side Hop10 lateral hop cycles over 30 cm · timed

1Record2Upload3See the results
Why it matters: side-to-side hopping on one leg challenges the ankle in the frontal plane and can show deficits in people with ankle instability (Caffrey et al., 2009). Ankle sprains often recur, so these deficits matter (Doherty et al., 2017).VueMotion times each trial from video and flags line and contact errors.

The athlete hops sideways on one leg over two lines 30 cm apart, completing 10 hop cycles (out and back) as quickly as possible. One iPhone in front records the best of 2 valid trials per leg.

10
hop cycles
30 cm
between lines
1
iPhone, front
PhaseSet
Why it matters

Speed and control, side to side.

Every trial gives you three layers.

TME
Time

Completion time for 10 cycles, per leg, and time LSI.

VAL
Validity

Valid/invalid trial and line-clearance errors.

MOV
Movement

Foot contacts, trunk and pelvis control and visible ankle/knee strategy, reported descriptively.

01

Performance monitoring

Is lateral hopping getting faster and cleaner?

  • Time Each leg vs baseline.
  • Errors Fewer line touches.
  • Symmetry Time LSI.
02

Performance improvement

What limits the weaker side?

  • Speed Slow times point to reactive ankle strength.
  • Control Trunk and pelvis sway.
  • Errors Line contacts show precision.
03

Injury risk management

Who has an ankle deficit?

  • Ankle instability Hop tests detect functional deficits in ankle instability (Caffrey et al., 2009).
  • Recurrence Previous sprains often recur (Doherty et al., 2017).
  • Asymmetry Compare legs.
04

Return to play / rehab

Is the ankle ready for lateral loads?

  • Progression After straight-line hopping is pain-free.
  • Baseline Compare with the other leg and pre-injury.
  • Quality Clean, controlled contacts.
05

Benchmarking

How does the athlete compare?

  • Reference times Published times are reference points only.
  • Cohort Use matched groups.
  • Squad Quick group screen.
06

Scouting / screening

Who is agile and stable?

  • Objective Video timing.
  • Balance Both legs.
  • Quick Under a minute per leg.

These metrics describe movement patterns linked to performance and injury risk in research. They support coaching and clinical judgement; they do not diagnose or predict an individual injury.

01 · Setup

Two lines and a front camera

Mark two parallel lines 30 cm apart on a firm, non-slip floor. The athlete faces the camera and hops sideways across both lines.

PhaseSet
Lines 30 cm apartFront camera
C1

Frontal camera

In front of the lines, facing the athlete, centred on the lines, lens about 1 m high. The whole lateral path and both feet must stay in view.

Capture at 60–120 fps, Auto-FPS off. A camera distance of about 3 m usually fits the lateral path; keep it the same between sessions.

02 · Capture

Record both legs in a few minutes

1

Equipment

1 iPhone, tripod and tape for two lines.

2

Lines

Two parallel lines 30 cm apart.

3

Camera

Front camera facing the athlete, centred on the lines.

4

Tag + record

Choose the athlete, the test tag and the leg; record 2 trials per leg.

5

Upload

Upload the original files and submit the AI request.

Athlete

  • Warm up and practise on each leg
  • Hands on hips, standing on the test leg
  • Hop over both lines and back = 1 cycle; complete 10 cycles as fast as possible
  • Touching a line or putting the other foot down makes the trial invalid

Camera settings

  • HD at 60 or 120 fps on iPhone (or 4K 120 fps on GoPro)
  • Auto-FPS off (Settings → Camera → Record Video)
  • Fixed tripod, 1× lens, no zoom or panning
  • Do Not Disturb on, Auto-Lock never

Scene & upload tips

  • Start recording before the athlete moves; stop after the hold or the last rep
  • No one else in either camera's view
  • Shorts or tights that show the knees help the front view
  • Upload original files from the app; avoid AirDrop or messaging apps
03 · Outputs

What you get after upload

Time

Completion time per leg (best valid trial).

Symmetry

Time LSI.

Validity

Valid/invalid trial and line-clearance errors.

Movement

Foot contacts, trunk and pelvis control, ankle/knee strategy (descriptive).

Progress

Every metric across sessions.

Linking side hopping to ankle function

Use published time cut-offs as reference points only; this test alone doesn't diagnose ankle instability or predict re-injury. The threshold mentioned in the framework notes is still to be agreed.

MetricLink to performance or injuryEvidence

Performance linked to performance   Prospective linked to future injury in a cohort study   Mechanistic linked to tissue loading in lab studies   Practice coaching rationale

Metric definitions

Side hop
Completion time (s)
Time for 10 complete out-and-back hop cycles.
Time LSI (%)
Comparison of completion times between legs.
Valid trial
No line touches, no touch-down of the other foot, 10 full cycles.
Line-clearance errors
Count of line contacts.
04 · Practitioner value

A quick ankle-focused screen

Simple

Two lines and one camera.

Ankle-specific

Frontal-plane hopping.

Timed from video

No stopwatch errors.

Fits the battery

Alongside hop tests for ankle and knee.

05 · Support

FAQs

What is one cycle?

Hopping over both lines and back to the start side.

How many trials?

Best of 2 valid trials per leg.

Are CSV exports and APIs available?

CSV/Excel export for Enterprise and Academy users, and API access for Enterprise users.

  1. Caffrey E, Docherty CL, Schrader J, Klossner J. The ability of 4 single-limb hopping tests to detect functional performance deficits in individuals with functional ankle instability. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2009;39(11):799–806.
  2. Itoh H, Kurosaka M, Yoshiya S, Ichihashi N, Mizuno K. Evaluation of functional deficits determined by four different hop tests in patients with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy. 1998;6(4):241–245.
  3. Doherty C, Bleakley C, Delahunt E, Holden S. Treatment and prevention of acute and recurrent ankle sprain: an overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2017;51(2):113–125.