Reliability and validity of the 90° push-up test in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized the evidence on the reliability and validity of the 90° push-up test (90-PSU) test for assessing muscular endurance in children and adolescents. Four databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus) were searched from inception to March 2026 following PRISMA guidelines. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, and nine provided data for meta-analysis (16 subgroups; n = 884). The pooled results indicated high test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.909; 95% CI: 0.842–0.948), although substantial heterogeneity was observed (I 2 = 91.93%). Evidence regarding inter-rater and absolute reliability was scarce and inconsistent. Seven studies evaluated validity, but only one examined criterion validity against one-repetition maximum bench press, reporting a low association. Although the 90-PSU test shows high relative reliability, limited evidence on validity and measurement error restricts its interpretability and sensitivity to change in youth populations.