STORY AT-A-GLANCE
The sitting-rising test (SRT) measures non-aerobic aspects of physical fitness, namely muscle strength and power, flexibility, balance and body composition
To receive the highest score of 10, you must be able to not only sit and rise from the floor without any support but also do so without showing instability or loss of balance
Higher SRT scores are linked to increased longevity and correlated strongly with participants’ risk of death
A composite score below 8 was associated with a two to five-fold higher death rate over the 6.3-year study period, while scores in the 8 to 10 range indicated a low risk of death
It’s likely that those who are capable of easily sitting and standing without assistance are also those who engage in regular physical activity and daily movement, which helps keep them agile and healthy