Have you ever thought about how you get up off the floor? It might seem like a small, everyday movement, but researchers say it can actually reveal a lot about your health and even how long you will live. The Sitting-Rising Test is a simple tool that assesses how easily you can sit down on the floor and rise back up without using your hands or any support. It’s been making waves in the medical and wellness communities because it reveals that people who perform better on this test tend to live longer and experience fewer health complications as they age.
Please, don’t let this test scare you. It’s not about perfection or some magical number. It’s a reminder of how important movement is—and how our daily habits, flexibility, strength, and balance all come together in small but meaningful ways.
What Is the Sitting-Rising Test?
Here’s how it works:
- Start standing.
- Sit down on the floor.
- Then, try to stand back up, using as little support as possible.
You start with 10 points (5 for sitting, 5 for rising), and you lose a point each time you use a hand, knee, or other support. A perfect score is 10. But again, that’s not the goal here.
In a study that followed over 4,000 adults for more than a decade, researchers found that people who scored lower on this test were more likely to experience health problems and had a higher risk of early death. For example, people who had low scores, like 0 to 3, were much more likely to die earlier than those who scored higher, like 8 to 10.
What do I think about the Sitting-Rising Test?
This test and what it reveals sounds a bit too simplistic to me, and you might be thinking the same, too. There is definitely more to the predictors of health and longevity than how we sit or stand. But we will not throw away the bath water with the baby. Instead, let’s extract the valuable information and leave the researchers to continue their mission.
So, here is what I want you to take away from the Sitting-Rising test:
- It’s just a snapshot. A lower score doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you.
- You can improve it. Strength, mobility, and balance are things we can work on at any age.
- Movement is medicine; this test is simply one more way to check in with your body.
- The real goal is to keep moving.
Why does the Sitting-Rising Test Matter?
This test is simple but reveals a lot. Okay, I know the actual execution of the test, especially if you are aiming for a perfect score, is not simple. But let’s assume that it is. The truth is that getting up from the floor taps into several areas of wellness: strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination. These things help us stay independent and active as we age. They matter more than how fast you can run or how much weight you can lift.
And let’s be honest—being able to get up from the floor confidently is a real-life skill. Whether you’re gardening, playing with your kids or grandkids, picking something up, or recovering from a stumble, this movement matters.
So, What If You Struggle With the Sitting-Rising Test?
First of all, you’re not alone. Many of us don’t sit on the floor regularly, let alone try to rise without help. But you can absolutely get better at it. Try adding some of these to your weekly routine:
- Squats or chair sits to strengthen legs and hips
- Lunges or step-ups to build balance and stability
- Core work, like planks or glute bridges
- Stretching or light yoga to improve flexibility
Start where you are. If you use two hands today, aim for one in a month. Little by little, it adds up.
You’re Doing Better Than You Think
If you even attempt to do the Sitting-Rising test after reading this blog post, you are far ahead of many people. Remember, you are not chasing a number (although a 10 will be cool). Instead, you are noticing what your body is telling you and choosing to respond with care and intention.
After all, movement doesn’t have to be fancy or exhausting. What matters is consistency. What matters is that you’re choosing to invest in your health day by day.
And if you have made exercising regularly a part of your healthy lifestyle, you are way ahead. Exercising regularly has been shown to prolong life as well. In fact, some people have been bold enough to say, “If you don’t exercise, you are going to die sooner. For every hour you exercise, you’ll live 3 hours longer.” To read more about this, check out “Can Exercise Prolong Your Life?”
Final Thoughts
I am wary of tests or studies that predict how long a person will live because we all know that life is more complicated than that. However, I do believe that being able to rise from the floor easily means that you are aging gracefully. And isn’t that what we all wish for?
And if you scored a 3 or even a 0, at least you tried the Sitting-Rising test. You don’t need to compare yourself to anyone else because our flexibility is genetic, but the good news is that we can improve, get stronger, and become more flexible.
What you need to do is to track your progress and celebrate small wins. If you used both hands to get up last week and only needed one this week—that’s progress! Even standing with a little more balance than before is a real win. Every small step forward matters.
I attempted the Sitting-Rising test, and I will give myself a 9, whether you agree or not! You can check out how I did here.
Even if you gave me an 8 (hopefully nothing less), it just means there is room for improvement, and I will keep working on it. Please be careful when trying this test. Use your hands, knees, or any support you need—safety comes first. The goal is progress, not pretending to be a superhero!
So, let this test be a nudge, not a judgment or a warning. Let the Sitting-Rising test be your reminder to keep moving, keep growing, and keep rising—literally and figuratively.
Please share your thoughts and comments below, and remember to share this article.
Yours in health and fitness,
Dr. Abi