This is the belief of a group of physicians, who came up with the 'sitting-rising test' to measure their patients' flexibility² and strength.

 

They developed a scoring system for the test and found that people who scored three points or less out of 10, were more than five times as likely to die within six years, as those who scored more than eight points.

 

Claudio Gil Araujo, of Gama Filho University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was among the doctors who originally developed the sitting rising test (SRT) to quickly assess the flexibility of athletes, but he now uses it to persuade his patients that they need to stay active to maintain their muscle and balance, and live longer, Discover Magazine reported.

 

As we age, our muscles tend to become weaker and a loss of balance means we are increasingly likely to fall.

 

Current ways to test frailty³ can be time-consuming, impractical⁴ and inaccurate⁵ for small doctors’ surgeries, but experts are keen to keep older people moving.

 

Dr Araujo says that anyone can take the SRT because no equipment is needed.

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