A brief fitness test may predict how long you’ll live
The sit-to-rise test assesses your strength, flexibility, and balance, which are important (but sometimes overlooked) aspects of fitness.
- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
The study included 4,282 people ages 46 to 75 who did the sit-to-rise test as part of a medical evaluation; researchers then tracked them for an average of about 12 years. The test is scored by starting with 10 points and then subtracting one point every time a person uses a hand, knee, or other support, and a half point every time the person is unsteady or wobbly. Compared to people who scored a 10 (no supports or wobbling), those who scored between 4.5 and 7.5 were about three times as likely to die during the follow-up period. And those who scored 0 to 4 had six times the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease.
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About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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