Can you sit and stand without using your hands? What it says about your future health

Ever wondered if you can sit down and stand back up with zero help from your arms…What does that tell you about your future health? It’s a surprisingly potent predictor.

This simple bodyweight test reflects your flexibility, balance, muscle strength, and core control: all vital signals of wellbeing and longevity. So next time you lower yourself to the floor and rise up neatly? You might just be scoring a health win.

What the science says

Sit-rising test (SRT) and longevity

The sitting-rising test (SRT) asks you to go from standing to sitting on the floor and back up—without assistance. Scores run from 0 to 10, with deductions for using your hands, shaking, or losing balance. In a major study of over 4,200 middle-aged adults followed for more than 12 years, poorer performers faced significantly higher death risks. In fact, those scoring 0–4 were more than 6 times more likely to die from cardiovascular causes compared to the perfect scorers.

Broader evidence supports the test

Another UK-US-Brazil cohort reaching similar conclusions. Those scoring low had a whopping 5–6 times increased mortality risk over approximately six years.

chair-stand test and COPD patients

Among patients with COPD, performance on sit-to-stand tests also predicted long-term outcomes. For instance, in a 5-year prospective cohort study, each additional three sit-to-stand repetitions reduced mortality risk substantially. In high-risk COPD groups, poor performance on the five-repetition sit-to-stand increased five-year mortality nearly fivefold.
sitting-rising vs gait speed

In older adults in São Paulo, both gait speed and chair stand performance were stronger mortality predictors than walking tests. Poor chair-stand ability notably increased both all-cause and cardiovascular death risk.

Also read: Do you sit in one place for long hours? Prolonged sitting can cause several health concerns

What does it mean for you?

The impact of a simple sit-stand trick is minimal, but it is not just about leg strength. It assesses one’s:
– Core and leg strength to generate force
– Flexibility and balance to move smoothly
– Functional independence that relates to mobility and autonomy declines if reduced in any way

Don’t worry if it’s difficult for you now; it is an alert, not a verdict. A dedicated approach to exercises aimed at building strength, mobility, and agility can help you improve your health and score.

Moving from sitting to standing without arm support can be considered a peculiar party trick, but it has been proven to estimate one’s long-term health prognosis. A low score in this physical test is an indicator of metabolic slowdown, frailty, and risks. But here’s the good news: This isn’t the final word. Modern science and smart movement can rewrite your score and your health story.