The simple action of getting up from a chair can reveal a lot about what the human body is affecting.
Getting up from a chair may seem too trivial to deserve a lot of attention, but your ability to do it says a lot about your health.
To evaluate it, doctors use the session and lifting test (STS), which measures how many times you can get up from the position sitting in 30 seconds.
It is an examination commonly performed in consultations From a general clinic or in community environments, in particular to identify possible health problems in the elderly, but it can also be done easily at home.
“It is a very useful test because it reveals us a lot about the health of a person,” says Jugdeep Dhesi, a geriatric consultant at the NHS Foundation of Guy and St Thomas Foundation in London and geriatric medical professor at King’s College London.
“It provides us with information on the strength, balance and flexibility of the patient. We know that some studies suggest that it can help identify if the person is at risk of falls, cardiovascular problems or even greater risk of death.”
You will just need a straight back chair and without support of weapons, plus a timer or timer (most modern cell phones have this function).
To take the test, sit in the center of the chair, cross your arms and put your hands on the opposite shoulders. Keep the straight spine and stop on the floor.
Then activate the timer and get up completely before being again. Repeat this movement for 30 seconds, telling how many times you can be completely.
What is the average age
Although the test is mainly used in adults over the age of 60, it can also be applied occasionally to young people.
Disease control and prevention centers (CDC), the United States public health agency, has released average results for different age groups.
The low -average scores can indicate an increased risk of developing health problems such as falls.
For example, for people between 60 and 64 years, the average is 14 repetitions for men and 12 for women.
Already between 85 and 89 years, this average drops to eight repetitions.
However, these average values do not take into account individual medical history, as if the person has recently undergone surgery or has undergone an accident.
According to the CDC, the averages in the STS test for each age group are:
- 60 to 64 years: 14 repetitions for men, 12 for women
- 65 to 69 years: 12 repetitions for men, 11 for women
- 70 to 74 years: 12 repetitions for men, 10 for women
- 75 at 79 years: 11 repetitions for men, 10 for women
- 80 to 84 years: 10 repetitions for men, 9 for women
- 85-89 years: 8 repetitions for men and women
- 90 to 94 years: 7 repetitions for men, 4 for women
The test can also be useful for young people or without health problems, as it is a good way to measure physical conditions, especially as regards the strength and muscle resistance of the lower body.
Results of young people
The researchers in Switzerland asked almost 7000 adults to perform the STS test and compared the results.
They found that among young people aged between 20 and 24, the average was 50 repetitions per minute for men and 47 for women.
However, some participants have been able to make up to 72 repetitions simultaneously.
In another study with healthy volunteers, with an average age of 21 years, the researchers found a strong association between the results of the session and lifting test and aerobic capacity tests and physical resistance.
The tests indicate that test performance can also provide important information to healthcare professionals on the general condition of the patient.
For example, a low score can be used to identify people at risk of worst results after surgery or during cancer treatment.
A low score can also indicate that the heart and lungs of the person do not work correctly, which increases the risk of serious heart events such as heart attack, stroke and heart failure.
According to the CDC, a lower score for the person age group also represents a higher risk of falls.
“What really worries us is that if people do not maintain strength, balance, flexibility and cardiovascular health, they are more likely to fall,” says Jugdeep Dhesi.
About 30% of people over 65 years of age suffers from decreasing every year – and that number rises to about 50% of over 80.
After a fall, it is common for the person to develop the fear of falling again, which reduces their will to leave the house and can lead to social isolation.
“If you are afraid of falling, you will not go out or you will find other people or do new things. And it turns out to be a vicious cycle,” says Dhesi.
In addition to social isolation, falls can cause serious injuries, especially in the elderly.
“Falls are a very serious problem. In addition to light bruises, muscle distances and distortions, there is the risk of more serious injuries such as hip fractures,” says Dhesi.
A 2012 study stressed that a variation of the STS test was an “important mortality that prefigured in adults between 51 and 80 years old.
People with low test scores had five or six times more likely to die in a period of six years than those with higher scores.
However, Dhesi underlines that while testing like STS are good health indicators, they are unable to predict a person’s life expectancy.
“The test results can indicate that there is something to observe and that perhaps there are treatments or interventions that we should adopt to improve people’s health, their quality of life, their autonomy and help them live well, which is the most important”, he says.
“Do this type of test at home helps you understand how you are compared to other people of your age. And therefore it can serve as a very useful reminder to do what it is possible to improve and remain healthy. I think it is an excellent way to give people the power to take control of their health.”
How to improve your results
According to Dhesi, the best way to improve the test score is to remain as active and mobile as possible.
If you have difficulty moving, you can start with the exercises sitting, to earn strength. From there, try to get up from the chair about five times every hour or two.
If possible, just walking around the house and climbing and going down the stairs at least three or four times a day can make a difference.
“You should avoid having weak legs to live on the ground floor; in essence, you must make sure you can go up and go down the stairs using these muscles, keeping balance and independence,” says Dhesi.
He also recommends that if you can, you go out to the exercise.
The additional bonus is social contact, in addition to the physical benefit. And we know that this is extremely important over the years: solitude and social isolation can be very harmful to health.
Other suggestions include staying in motion and do domestic jobs.
For the elderly, playing with their grandchildren, if you have it, it can also help knees on the floor with them and then get up, for example.
It is also worth including simple activities in everyday life, how to get up and stretch after a while, go to the shops on foot instead of guiding or dedicating more to gardening.
Read a Original version of this relationshipIn English, on the BBC Future website.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
