What the sit-stand test reveals about your aging

What does it mean to be healthy? Lab results, body mass index and even the ability to run a mile can provide some insight, but with so many measures of wellness, it’s complicated to get a definitive answer.

There are no guarantees – and no one is immune to aging – but many experts agree that any particular exercise is a great indicator of health and longevity. And you can do it from home.

The exercise is called chair squats or chair raises, with a 30-second assessment known as the sit-to-stand chair test measuring strength, mobility and power. As the name suggests, this movement depends on how quickly you can stand up after sitting. It’s the one that Joseph Hribick, clinical assistant professor of physical therapy at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, uses “very often” with his patients.

“Getting up from a chair may seem like a very simple task, but it actually requires multiple systems working together,” Hribick told HuffPost. “You need adequate strength and power in your hip and leg muscles, good balance, coordination, joint mobility, and enough cardiovascular capacity to repeat this movement several times.”

“For this reason, a chair rise test can give us a quick snapshot of a person’s overall functional mobility,” he added.

The chair sit-stand test is useful because of how much it reveals about a person’s health. “It’s simple to make, functional, inexpensive and based on a lot of research,” Hribick said.

This exercise requires a person to “shift their own weight in space and coordinate the movement of their hips, knees, ankles, core and balance system,” Hribick said.

And since we have to stand up multiple times every day, this practical exercise is relevant in the real world.

“Chair squats allow the hips, knees, and ankles to move in the areas we use daily for walking, climbing stairs, and going up and down,” Hazel Anderson, an associate professor at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, told HuffPost.

“The chair stand is not a crystal ball for longevity, but it is a simple window into our functional reserve, alongside things like walking speed, balance and grip strength,” Anderson continued. “The goal isn’t a perfect score; it’s about maintaining the strength and movement we need to continue doing the things we love.”

The secret to a long, healthy life is staying self-reliant, and chair squats can help.

“As we age, we lose about 3 to 5 percent of muscle mass per year after age 40, unless you do something to counter that,” Dr. Jennifer Timmons, a longevity physician and founder and medical director of Timmons Wellness, told HuffPost.

“And this loss of muscle mass leads to a cascade of other problems, including decreased mobility, higher risk of falls and, ultimately, loss of independence,” Timmons said. “Doing the chair rise test gives us a quick overview of overall function and capacity. »

Muscle power — “our ability to generate force quickly” — also declines with age and can affect everyday activities like getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, maintaining balance if you trip and more, according to Hribick.

“Research involving more than 11,000 older adults has shown that insufficient muscle power in the sit-to-stand position is associated with mobility limitations and impairment in activities of daily living,” he said. “Additionally, the power to sit and stand has also been associated with physical independence later in life.”

Doing exercises that strengthen these muscles is important for continuing to live an independent life.

Older people who passed the chair climb test also showed strong cognitive abilities, another important factor for longevity.

“Getting up quickly requires motor planning, coordination, attention and rapid integration of sensory information,” Hribick explained.

“Those who stay physically active and maintain better neuromuscular function often maintain better health in several other areas, including cognitive health,” he added.

Place a sturdy chair against a wall, then sit with your feet flat on the floor in front of you and your arms crossed over your chest. Stand up with your hips and knees extended, then sit down without using your arms to help you.

The movement should be controlled enough so that as soon as you touch the seat, you can immediately get up.

Every time you sit down is considered a repetition. Repeat to see how much sit-stand you can do in 30 seconds. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a 60-year-old man should be able to do at least 14 repetitions and a woman should do at least 12.

If you are unable to complete the minimum number of repetitions within the time frame appropriate for your age and gender, additional fall risk assessments may be necessary.

For the exercise version of chair squats (not the test), you can use your hands, a higher chair, or the help of a nearby support person. “You can gradually work on using less assistance as you get stronger,” Anderson said.

You also don’t need to time yourself and can just do around eight to 12 repetitions, one to three times.

“The goal of daily training is not to race against the clock,” she added. “I would much rather see repetitions that are safe, controlled and sufficiently challenging, with good control both standing and seated.”

If you want to make the exercise version more challenging, Hribick recommends getting up from a lower surface, increasing the number of reps, or adding some resistance by holding a weight or wearing a weighted vest.

If you fail to meet the minimum recommendations, it does not mean you are beyond help. “Strength and power can still be trained into adulthood,” Hribick said.

However, if you have difficulty getting up, for example if you have to push the armrests back or rock before getting up, talk to your healthcare professional. According to Hribick, this could be an early sign of a decline in lower extremity function, especially if you also experience falls, dizziness, pain, weakness, or difficulty walking.

Practicing chair squats can help strengthen your body and make daily life easier. Keep in mind that the goal is not to pass the sit-to-stand test and then quit; Rather, it’s about incorporating chair squats into your full-body workout routine.

“I would consider the chair stand test a baseline and not an end point,” Timmons explained. “The takeaway here is this: Don’t train just to pass the chair standing test. Train so that you can get up from a chair or toilet effortlessly, so you can maintain your independence as you age.”