The Sitting–Rising Test: Can a Simple Movement Predict Your Quality of Life and Lifespan?

Modern lifestyles have placed physical inactivity at the center of our lives. Yet the human body is designed to move, maintain balance and use its strength . As we age, basic physical abilities such as muscle strength, flexibility and balance naturally decline. However, the speed or impact of this decline is often overlooked.

So what clues can a simple movement that we often perform in daily life— “sitting down on the floor and getting back up” —give us about our general health and even our lifespan ?

A new scientific study explores this surprising question, showing that physical fitness can be assessed not only in gyms, but even with a simple test performed at home , and revealing how critical a role this may play in preventing premature deaths .

1998–2001: Laying the Foundations

• 1998: The CLINIMEX open cohort study was launched in Brazil.
• 1999: Araújo introduced the sitting–rising test (SRT).
• 2000–2001: The first studies on reliability and the effect of body weight were conducted.

2013–2016: Strengthening Clinical Relevance

• 2014: SRT scores were found to be associated with all-cause mortality.
• 2015–2016: Non-aerobic fitness components were defined, and applications in different scenarios in cardiac patients were published.

2019–2021: Global Spread and Use Across Age Groups

• Research linked to SRT was conducted in areas such as push-up capacity, fear of falling and cognitive development in children.
• 2020: Age- and sex-specific SRT reference values were published.

2022–2024: Strong Links Between SRT and Lifespan

• Links between lifespan and single-leg standing and cardiovascular exercise tests were examined.
• 2023 (December): Data collection for the CLINIMEX cohort was completed (8566 people).
• 2024 (March): Final censoring date for causes of death and vital status data.

2025: A Key Publication and Scientific Milestone

• June 2025: A new article showing that SRT is a stronger predictor than muscle strength was published on June 18, 2025 in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology journal.

📚 European Journal of Preventive Cardiology published a 2025 study in which 4282 adults aged 46–75 were followed over the long term. All participants underwent the SRT and were followed for an average of 12.3 years .

🫀 People with a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) also showed a strong relationship between SRT score and risk of death. In participants with CAD, there was a link between low SRT scores, on the one hand, and higher mortality risk on the other.

This finding suggests that SRT may be an effective tool not only in healthy individuals, but also in people with chronic diseases as a prognostic tool .

🏥 This study supports incorporating the sitting–rising test (SRT) into routine examinations. Completed in minutes, this simple test provides information about people’s non-aerobic fitness levels that is clinically and prognostically important .

💡 Developing personalized exercise prescriptions and making early intervention decisions can be aided by this effective tool.

The sitting–rising test (SRT)stands out in middle-aged and older individuals as a powerful predictor of death from natural and cardiovascular causes.

This simple, safe and equipment-free test assesses muscle strength, balance, flexibility and body composition at the same time, providing healthcare professionals with valuable information about these critical parameters.

✅ For anyone who is healthy or has a chronic disease—provided they have no physical limitations—having this test regularly may both extend lifespan and improve quality of life.