If you want to know whether you’re going to be alive in 10 years, there are many useful ways of assessing that question. Here at HT100, we have many options, including recourse to the world’s best fortune tellers, our trusty Ouija Board, and most reliably, our company Magic 8 ball, though in truth we are getting far too many: “Reply hazy. Try Again Later” for real clarity.
But if you prefer this “science” thing, there is good news for you: a new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has found that the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) is an astonishingly good predictor of longevity and mortality risk. The test measures the ability to sit on the floor and then rise back up with as little assistance as possible.
Over the course of more than 12 years, researchers tracked 2,892 men and 1,390 women ages 46 to 75 enrolled in a Brazilian exercise research program. Participants who had a score of 10, the highest, had a relatively low death rate, which tripled for those with a score of eight and then more than tripled again for the lowest score group.
How predictive was this score? Nearly 50% of participants who couldn’t rise from the floor alone died during a ten-year period. Only three people with SRT scores of 10 died from natural causes in the first four years of follow-up.
How does the test work? Start the test with 5 points for sitting, and 5 points for rising (10 points total). If you need assistance (using your hands or knees) to rise or sit throughout the test, deduct one point from your initial score. Throughout the test, you can cross your legs without any deductions—as long as you don’t use the sides of your feet for support.
Start by standing barefoot on a non-slip surface such as a thin mat. Make sure you’re wearing clothes that allow you to move your body freely.
Without worrying about speed, try to sit on the floor using the least amount of assistance needed.
From the sitting position, try to rise back up to standing, again using the least amount of assistance needed.
A perfect score of 10 indicates the ability to stand and rise unassisted, while a score of zero indicates someone is unable to stand and rise alone without assistance. Here’s a video that explains it.
If you scored a 10, or near to it, congratulations. If you scored much lower, consider this research an important reminder of the importance of balance and strength in healthy aging – and there are plenty of exercises you can do to enhance your abilities as you age:
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