Brazilian physician Claudio Gil Araújo, MD, conceived of the SRT to provide a tentative forecast for the mortality of middle-aged and older individuals. In practice, it looks a lot like an adult version of Simon Says. (Which I know because the entire Well+Good editorial team couldn't help but try it for themselves. LOLs ensued.)
How to use the sitting-rising test (SRT) as a longevity calculator:
1. Start standing up, cross your ankles, and sit down on the floor while attempting not to use your hands for an assist.
2. Stand back up. Again, attempt to avoid touching anything for balance.
3. Now to calculate your results! If you don't need any help from your upper extremities then, congratulations, you scored a perfect 10. If you gave yourself a hand, subtract one point for every instance you used your hands to help you stand up.
In a study of 2,002 adults between the ages of 51 and 80 years old published in The European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, researchers scored everyone according to the SRT. They the proceeded to follow them in their day-to-day lives until a participant died or until the research came to an end. In 6.3 years time, 159 of those tested passed away. Out of all of them, only two had scored full marks in the test of physical ability.
As several researchers tell The Washington Post, the study is by no means exhaustive. Other scientific inquiries have tested people's longevity according to factors including the number of push-ups they could complete, how quickly they were able to walk, and grip-strength. Nevertheless, the general message here couldn't be clearer: Make like a kid and test your dexterity whenever you get a chance.
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