Does the sitting-rising test predict how long you live?

Yes. In middle-aged and older adults, people who needed hands or knees to sit and rise from the floor were much more likely to die over the next 6 to 12 years.

Who it's for

Adults aged about 45 to 80; not shown to guide treatment.

What to expect

A low score flags higher risk; it can't predict one person's fate.

Watch out for

Scores reflect age, weight and illness too, and the test is untested as a way to change outcomes.

What the studies show

• A study that followed 4,282 adults aged 46 to 75 for a median of 12.3 years found 665 deaths (15.5%). Death rates climbed as scores fell: 3.7%, 7.0%, 11.1%, 20.4% and 42.1% from the best to the worst score group1Observational study · 2026 · 4,282 peopleSitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women.Non-aerobic physical fitness, as assessed by SRT, was a significant predictor of natural and CV mortality in 46-75-year-old participants. Application of the SRT, a simple assessment tool that is influenced by muscular strength/power, flexibility, balance, and body composition, could add relevant clinical and…Eur J Prev Cardiol.
• In that study, after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index and health conditions, the lowest scorers had about 4 times the risk of death from natural causes and about 6 times the risk of death from heart disease, compared with the top scorers. The heart disease estimate is less certain, since few deaths sit behind it1Observational study · 2026 · 4,282 peopleSitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women.Non-aerobic physical fitness, as assessed by SRT, was a significant predictor of natural and CV mortality in 46-75-year-old participants. Application of the SRT, a simple assessment tool that is influenced by muscular strength/power, flexibility, balance, and body composition, could add relevant clinical and…Eur J Prev Cardiol.
• An earlier study of 2,002 adults aged 51 to 80, followed for a median of 6.3 years, had 159 deaths (7.9%). Lowest scorers had about 5 times the risk of death of the highest scorers. Each 1-point gain in score was linked to 21% better survival2Observational study · 2014 · 2,002 peopleAbility to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality.Musculoskeletal fitness, as assessed by SRT, was a significant predictor of mortality in 51-80-year-old subjects. Application of a simple and safe assessment tool such as SRT, which is influenced by muscular strength and flexibility, in general health examinations could add relevant information regarding functional…Eur J Prev Cardiol.
• A study of 422 independent older adults followed for 7 years tested a related sit-to-stand test from a chair. Those with low performance had about 2.5 times the risk of death of those with high performance4Observational study · 2021 · 422 peopleImpact of physical and functional fitness on mortality from all causes of physically independent older adults.BAL, AGI, and SIT-SD tests alone and tests grouped in the GFFI-6 were strong predictors of all-cause mortality in physically independent older adults.Arch Gerontol Geriatr.
• A cross-sectional study of 2,502 adults found low scores were more common in women and in people with fatty liver disease or heart conditions such as high blood pressure. The test may reflect existing illness, and this study did not track deaths3Observational study · 2024 · 2,502 peopleFactors associated with lower quarter performance-based balance and strength tests: a cross-sectional analysis from the project baseline health study.Our results highlighted previously identified and several novel salient factors associated with performance on the SLBT, SRT, and 30CST. These tests could represent affordable, noninvasive biomarkers of prevalent and/or future disease in adult individuals; future research should validate these findings.Front Sports Act Living.

These figures compare groups. The gain or loss for one person depends on how high their risk was to begin with. All of these studies observed people, so they show a link and can't prove that improving the score extends life.

Key studies

Safety

The test is described as simple and safe2Observational study · 2014 · 2,002 peopleAbility to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality.Musculoskeletal fitness, as assessed by SRT, was a significant predictor of mortality in 51-80-year-old subjects. Application of a simple and safe assessment tool such as SRT, which is influenced by muscular strength and flexibility, in general health examinations could add relevant information regarding functional…Eur J Prev Cardiol. People with balance, joint or strength problems may find the floor movements difficult.

What we don't know

• Whether practicing the movement or improving strength, flexibility and balance lowers the risk of death.
• How well the test works in people under 45, over 80, or in more diverse groups. Most participants were men (68%).