Coaches and trainers of professional athletes like to use a device called the “Vertec Vertical Jump Tester” which is a fairly accurate and reliable method of measuring vertical jump height but costs about $600 and kind of large to store at a typical clinic.
Another option involves a stick-on wall measuring tape and a few post-it sticky notes. The 45cm stick-on measuring tape is part of the STARmat floor kit.
The patient is simply asked to stand under a doorway and jump up with one leg and place the sticky note as high as possible.
Maximum height and asymmetry are documented. Usually three trials are needed to get the best outcome.
I find the single leg vertical jump test to be an amazing motivator of patients to work on their exercises; as they aim to impress me the next time I see them. When they reach higher, I give them a high 5!