Journal of Clinical Exercise Physiology · Jun 2026
Medicine Ball Toss: A Total-Body Muscle Power Test for All Ages
By Spokely NJ, Allen SMF, Montgomery SA et al.
Background: Monitoring muscle power across the lifespan is critical; however, generalizable total-body power assessment tools are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to validate a novel standing medicine ball toss (SMBT) as a measurement for total-body power across the lifespan. Methods: This cross-sectional study compared SMBT with common laboratory (isokinetic dynamometry [DYNA]) and field (5 sit-to-stand) power tests in 80 participants aged 19–88 years. Participants were stratified into three age groups (Young, 19–34 years, n = 24; Middle-Aged, 35–59 years, n = 25; Older, >60 years, n = 31). Statistics included Pearson correlation coefficients ( r ), one-way analysis of variance models with repeated measures, absolute agreement intraclass correlation coefficients (rICCs), and Bland-Altman plots, α ≤ 0.05. For reliability, standard error of the measurement (SEM), minimal detectable change (MDC), coefficient of variation (CV), and ICCs were computed. Results: SMBT was strongly correlated with DYNA across all groups ( r = 0.71–0.73; all P < 0.001) and there were no mean differences between tests. Additionally, SMBT + DYNA had strong agreement (rICC = 0.69–0.78; all P < 0.001) and there were no patterns of proportional bias and inconsistent variability on the Bland-Altman plots. Further, SMBT had the lowest SEM (0.52%), MDC (1.02%), and CV (4.52%) values and was the only test to have excellent reliability across the lifespan (ICC = 0.98–0.92; P < 0.001). Conclusion: The SMBT was found to be a suitable and reliable field-based proxy for muscle power across the adult age spectrum. Given the strong relationship between muscle power and frailty, clinicians and practitioners may use the SMBT to assess fall risk and implement interventions, like exercise, earlier.