The Sitting-Rising Test: How Long Might You Live?
By Dr. Ronald Vaught | Chiropractic & Functional Medicine | Beyond Health and Wellness, Oak Forest, IL
What if I told you there's a test you can do on your living room floor, in about 10 seconds, with no needles, no lab fees and no waiting room, that says a lot about how long you might stick around?
No, this isn't a carnival trick. It's real research, and it's humbling. Do me a favor: read to the end before you try it. Then go ahead and get down on the floor. (I'll wait.)
THE TEST
It's called the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT), developed by Brazilian exercise physician Dr. Claudio Gil Araújo and his colleagues. It's also called the Sit-on-Floor-to-Stand (SFTS) test. Here's how it works:
Stand barefoot in comfortable clothes with some open space around you.
Without leaning on anything, lower yourself to sit cross-legged on the floor.
Then stand back up, again without help if you can.
You start with 10 points. Subtract 1 point every time you use a hand, a knee, a forearm, the side of your leg, or a nearby piece of furniture for support, going down or coming back up.
A perfect 10 means you went down and came back up with nothing but your legs and your core. Shazzzzamm!
Use the chart below to score yourself. Notice the woman in the photos is using her hands. That's what a "point of support" looks like. Your goal is to use as few as you can.
SO WHAT DOES YOUR SCORE MEAN?
In a study published in 2012 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers tested just over 2,000 adults ages 51 to 80 and followed them for a median of about 6 years.
Here's what they found:
People in the lowest group (scores of 0–3) had a 5 to 6 times higher risk of death than those scoring 8–10, even after accounting for age, sex and body weight.
Scores below 8 were linked to 2 to 5 times higher death rates.
Among people who scored a perfect 10, there were only two deaths in the whole follow-up.
And the headline number: every 1-point increase in your score was associated with about a 21% lower risk of death.
Let that sink in. One point. One less hand on the floor.
Now, before you panic because you scored a 4: this is an association, not a crystal ball. The test doesn't kill anyone (pun intended). What it does is measure the things that keep you alive and independent: leg strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. Lose those, and you're more likely to fall, break a hip, stop moving, and spiral from there. And as anyone who has cared for an aging parent knows, a fall at 78 is often the beginning of the end.
WHY YOUR BODY STOPS COOPERATING
Here's the uncomfortable truth, My Friends: most of us didn't lose the ability to get off the floor because of age. We lost it because we stopped doing it.
Kids sit on the floor all day long. Then we grow up, buy recliners, sit at desks for 8 hours, sit in the car, sit on the couch... wait for it... wait for it... and then wonder why our hips, knees and backs don't move anymore.
What I see in the office over and over:
Tight hips and stiff ankles that won't let people squat
Weak glutes and thighs (the biggest muscles you own, sitting idle)
Knee pain that makes people afraid to kneel
Low back stiffness from years of sitting
Poor balance that nobody ever trains
I hear some version of this all the time: "I got down on the floor to play with the grandkids, and I couldn't get back up without crawling to the couch." That moment scares people more than any lab result. But here's the thing: with adjustments, simple daily mobility work and calming down cranky knees, people can earn those points back, one less hand at a time.
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE
The good news? This is one of the most fixable numbers in your health. Start where you are:
Get on the floor every day. Sit there while you watch TV. Your body adapts to what you ask of it.
Practice the test with help. Use a hand or the couch at first, then gradually use less support.
Squat daily. Sit-to-stand from a chair, 10 times, no hands. Then lower the chair.
Work your hips and ankles. Gentle hip openers and calf stretches go a long way.
Train your balance. Stand on one foot while you brush your teeth. (Hold the counter if you need to!)
Calm down joint pain so you can actually move. If knees or hips stop you, that's where we come in, with chiropractic care and MLS laser therapy to reduce pain and inflammation without cortisone shots.
Feed your muscles. Adequate protein, magnesium and vitamin D all play a role in muscle function. Test first and dose with a practitioner.
And remember the 7 Essentials of Healthy Living: nutrition, stress, body movement, what you drink, breathing, sleep and what you think. Body movement is the one this test puts a spotlight on.
A WORD OF CAUTION
If you have a known hip or knee replacement, recent surgery, significant balance problems or osteoporosis, don't try this alone. Do it with someone nearby, or let us evaluate you first. A poor score is a reason to get help, not a reason to get hurt.
READY TO GET OFF THE FLOOR (WITHOUT CRAWLING)?
If you live in Oak Forest, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Midlothian or anywhere in the south suburbs and your score wasn't what you hoped, let's find out why. We'll look at your joints, mobility and the root causes holding you back.
Call (708) 907-0700 to schedule a visit, or learn more about our chiropractic care and MLS laser therapy.
Stay healthy, My Friends!
Dr. Ronald Vaught
Sources: Brito LBB, Ricardo DR, Araújo DSMS, et al. Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 2012/2014. European Society of Cardiology press release, Dec 2012.
Beyond Health and Wellness, 15000 S Cicero Ave, Suite 100, Oak Forest, IL 60452
This article is for general education and isn't a substitute for a personal medical evaluation.
