This Simple 30-Second Test Shows How Well Your Body Is Functioning (Or Not)
Those short 30 seconds can be extremely revealing about your health.
Gustavo Fring | Pexels It happens to all of us, and usually far sooner than we expect: You suddenly find that every time you get in or out of a chair, there's a veritable chorus of sounds from both your joints and your own mouth to mark the occasion. It's disconcerting, to say the least!
But it turns out that this simple movement we do every single day of our lives is also a very revealing picture of our health overall and maybe even a glimpse into our future as well.
The simple 30-second 'sit-to-stand' test can show how well your body is functioning.
We're bombarded with health assessments nowadays (many of them of dubious credentials), from at-home blood testing kits to all those supposed "cortisol face" tests you can find on TikTok to, of course, about a million "psychological" assessments.
But doctors have known about one of the simplest tests of well-being for ages: the 30-second sit-to-stand test, which has been used in doctors' offices and community clinics for ages, especially for evaluating the health of senior citizens. All you do is sit in a chair and get back up out of it, over and over again for 30 seconds. That's it! But what it reveals is extensive.
Doctors use the test to evaluate everything from cardiovascular health to surgical risks.
"It's a really helpful test because it tells us so much about how well people are functioning," geriatrician Jugdeep Dhesi recently told the BBC. "It tells us about their strength, their balance and their flexibility."
And it doesn't stop there. This simple test can also tell doctors "whether people are at risk of things like falls, cardiovascular issues or even at a higher risk of dying." Yikes. But simply sitting in a chair being an indicator of longevity is pretty incredible, right?
Anyone can do this test right at home, so long as you have a basic straight-backed chair with no arms and some kind of stopwatch (like the one on your phone). Simply sit in the chair, cross your arms over your chest with each hand on your shoulder and start your stop watch. Then rise from the chair and sit back down again and again, noting how many times you can complete it in 30 seconds.
A poor score on the test can alert medical providers to risks associated with surgery or cancer treatments, and it can indicate that something may be wrong with the lungs or cardiovascular system. So if you struggle with the test, it might be worth booking a doctor's appointment.
The number of sit-to-stands you should aim to complete depends on age.
The Centers for Disease Control have established average ranges for the sit-to-stand based on age. For those between 60 and 64, the average is 14 or more for men and 12 or more for women; for those 90-94, the average is 7 or more for men and 4 or more for women.
Because the test is usually intended for the elderly, standards for those under 60 haven't been established. But a 2022 study published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy that applied the test to men and women aged 19-35 found the average number completed in 30 seconds was 33.
Another study in Switzerland had individuals 20-24 do the test for a full 60 seconds and found averages of 50 per full minute for men and 47 per full minute for women. Some more physically fit people were able to do as many as 72 repetitions in a minute, however.
It's important to note, of course, that everybody's capabilities are different, and it's vital to consult your doctor before pushing yourself with any physical activity. But scientists have found that for younger people, the sit-to-stand test can be a useful measure of overall physical fitness, especially with respect to lower-body muscle strength and endurance.
So if you complete the test with ease and flying colors, take heart that you're likely functioning well and a picture of health. And if you struggle, the test just might provide insight that often saves lives: early detection of health problems, all from simply sitting up and down in a chair.
John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.
