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A simple test that involves sitting on the floor and standing back up using as little support as possible, predicts the risk of death from natural and cardiovascular causes. A study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology validates an aspect of physical fitness as a test that can reliably predict longevity. The findings point to a direct correlation between physical fitness and long-term survival. [1] So how well does the sitting-rising-test predict cardiovascular and other causes of mortality over 25 years?
In the study, carried out by specialists in exercise medicine at Brazil’s CLINIMEX – Clínica de Medicina do Exercício: Rio de Janeiro, a team of researchers demonstrated that the sitting-rising-test is a useful clinical tool to predict cardiovascular mortality. More than 4200 adults aged between 46–75 years volunteered to perform a sitting-rising test (SRT), which was scored based on how they executed the movements. The participants were then followed up for a median period of 12 years. During that time, 665 of them died, with most of the deaths occurring among those with low SRT scores.
The Sitting-Rising Test: A Two-Minute Look Into Your Health
The SRT test is documented as a reliable assessment tool for physical fitness. [2] It is effective because it assesses the main elements of non-aerobic fitness such as muscle strength, flexibility, balance and body composition.
The sitting-rising test is a simple test that can be completed in under two minutes. Participants are asked to lower themselves into a sitting position and then stand back up. Sitting and rising movements are each scored out of a maximum of five points. The assessor deducts points when the participant uses support (such as leaning on a hand or the knee) or when the movements are unsteady. For instance, if a person has to support themselves using one hand when rising, one point is deducted, and they get a score of four. The total scores for sitting and rising are added to find the final SRT score, with the maximum being 10 points (5 for sitting and 5 for rising).
The SRT test is simple and convenient. It does not need special equipment to conduct, can be carried out in a small space, and does not involve physical contact between the participant and the clinician.
What Do the Scores Mean?
The results of the study clearly pointed to a higher risk of mortality among people who had lower SRT scores.
The study participants were people who voluntarily came for assessment at a private clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between 1998 and 2023. This research builds on a previous study that focused on the relationship between SRT scores and all-cause mortality. [3]
The researchers excluded deaths that were not of natural causes and cardiovascular origin such as COVID-19, homicide, and accidents. With these exclusions, 665 people, representing 15.5% of the participants, died during the follow-up period. The most common causes of death among the study participants were cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory illnesses.
More deaths occurred in participants with low SRT scores. The death rate was 42.1% for those who had SRT scores between 0 and 4 and just 3.7% for those who had a perfect SRT score of 10. Individuals with low SRT scores of 0–4 were six times more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases compared to those who scored 10.
How Good Is the Study?
The authors acknowledged some limitations of their study. Firstly, the participants were people visiting a private clinic, mostly Caucasians belonging to the upper socioeconomic and education classes of the country.
On the other hand, the investigation had quite a number of strengths, such as the use of a large sample size and a long follow-up period between 1998 and 2025. The study used a standardized SRT scoring method and combined both and female participants, providing a broader insight.
Time to Rethink Exercise and Longevity
On the basis of this and other similar studies, health experts are now encouraging more resistance training in addition to aerobic training to grow muscle power, achieve more balance and slow down the decline that comes with ageing. [4]
What if health professionals started conducting SRT tests to assess the well-being of their patients? This could be a great way to help individualize care and to create more effective workout plans.
References
[1] Araújo CGS, de Souza E. Silva C.G., Myers J, Laukkanen J A, Ramos PS, Ricardo DR Sitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published online June 18, 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf325 [2] Araújo C G. Sitting-rising test: introduction of a new procedure for evaluation in exercise and sports medicine. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte. 1999;5:179-82.[3] Brito LB, Ricardo DR, Araújo DS, Ramos PS, Myers J, Araújo C G. Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2014;21(7):892–898. doi:10.1177/2047487312471759[4] Araújo CGS, Kunutsor SK, Eijsvogels TMH, et al. Muscle Power Versus Strength as a Predictor of Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Men and Women. Mayo Clin Proc. 2025;100(8):1319–1331. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2025.02.015
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