Sit-to-stand: How fast can you stand up? Find out with the STS test

Sit-to-stand: How fast can you stand up? Find out with the STS test (Photo: iStock)

There are many ways to tell if people are healthy. Some indicators of good health are so simplistic that you may never have heard of them.

One of the simplest tests of health I know of is referred to as the sit-to-stand (or STS) test. It simply measures how many times you can stand up from a sitting position within 30 seconds. The quicker you can do it, the higher the level of your health in many ways. 

Let’s first define how the STS test is done. You need to sit in the middle of a chair, your back straight and both feet touching the floor. Then place both your hands on opposing shoulders. Start a stopwatch and rise to a full standing position before sitting down again.

Do this for 30 seconds and keep a note of how many times you get to a full standing position. The more numbers you clock, the higher your health score. There are actually reference charts for different age groups, which you can find online. 

But what kind of health parameters does the STS test indicate? Overall, the test tells you how well your body is functioning. It tells you about your muscular strength, balance and flexibility.

The test goes further and predicts your heart and lung function, risk of cardiovascular disease and who is at a higher risk of dying. For such reasons, STS tests are commonly done in doctors’ offices as part of overall health screening. 

The STS test is particularly applicable to the elderly. As people grow older and become frail, they are at higher risk of falls and bony fractures or other injuries.

About 30 per cent of people over 65 years fall every year, with the rate rising to over 50 per cent towards the 80s. Falls in the elderly are especially associated with hip fractures, and a higher risk of death within a year following the fracture. Identifying elderly people at such risk opens up opportunities for appropriate preventive strategies. 

But the young also benefit from knowing their STS scores. If you are scoring way below your agemates, that prompts the opportunity to review your prevailing health and lifestyle.

You might find things you could do to perform better. You might also check with your doctors if there are reasons for a more formal medical evaluation. 

In the end, the best way to stay on top of your STS scores is to maintain a heightened level of physical activity.

Take every opportunity to walk, wherever. Do some sort of strength training that suits your age and physical abilities. Get to the gym if that’s your thing.

In the end, you should be standing up so often, perhaps as part of the STS test, which is in itself a physical activity. 

Dr Murage is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist.