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Can you easily get off the floor without using your hands or support? This seemingly simple task could provide key insight into your overall health and longevity. 

The sitting-rising test has been all the buzz since researchers published a unique study about the theory in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. In the study, over 4,000 adults aged 46–75 years old were asked to sit on the floor and then stand up, ideally without using their hands, knees, or elbows for support. Researchers tracked participants for more than a decade and found a notable link between test performance and mortality. Those who scored low were significantly more likely to die within the study period.

Roughly 16% of participants died during the 12-year follow-up. But among those who scored a perfect 10, only 4% died, compared to 42% of those who scored four or less. That’s a significant gap. Notably, how well people did on the sitting-rising test was a strong predictor of their risk of dying from natural causes or heart-related issues, researchers found.

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The concept sounds simple until you try it. To score a perfect 10, you must go from sitting cross-legged on the floor to standing upright without using any external support. Doing so would result in a loss of a point. 

Sounds easy, but the sitting-rising test is far from it.

SELF writer, Karin Miller, shared in a July 7 article that the task was difficult even for her as a former competitive athlete. 

“To my surprise, it was hard. While I was able to get it done, I had to give myself a mental pep talk before each attempt,” she penned. “Pulling this test off is trickier than it sounds—it requires a combination of strength, balance, and flexibility, and I struggle to even touch my toes.”

To see if the test was truly a legit predictor of longevity, Miller sat down with key authors behind the study to find out more. According to Dr. Jonathan Myers, a clinical professor at Stanford and co-author of the study, the sitting-rising test taps into more than just one aspect of fitness. While cardiorespiratory fitness has long been seen as a powerful health predictor, sometimes even more than smoking or high blood pressure, other factors matter too. The sitting-rising test measures strength, power, flexibility, and balance in one efficient move.

All four factors can determine how well our bodies develop and function as we age, shared study co-author Jonathan Myers, Ph.D. They help prevent falls and support day-to-day tasks like walking, bending, or carrying groceries. Additionally, the test may even offer clues about cardiovascular health.

“One could not do this after certain types of strokes or if too weak from poor overall health,” Dr. Jennifer Wong, a cardiologist and medical director at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, told Miller. 

Of course, the test isn’t perfect, Myers and Miller stressed. It doesn’t diagnose why someone may struggle, whether it’s joint pain, injury, or a lack of strength. But its simplicity is part of its power: No equipment, no gym, just you and your ability to rise.

So, if you try it and struggle, don’t panic, but do take it as a wake-up call. It could be a good time to work on your balance, flexibility, and lower-body strength. After all, how easily you can stand up today might say more about your future than you think.

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The post Doctors Say This Simple Fitness Test Can Predict Death — Can You Pass It? appeared first on MadameNoire.



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Tags Death Doctors Dr. Jonathan Myers Feet Fitness Hands health Karin Miller Longevity Pass Predict Simple sitting-rising Test