Recently researchers in Brazil did an interesting study. They had people participate in the 'Sitting-Rising Test'. They gave them a score from 1-10. 10 is perfect. 0 is not. Then they followed the participants for 6 years. What they found has huge implications into the way we live our lives.
The Sitting-Rising Test:
The Sitting Rising test goes like this:
1) Start in a standing position
2) Go to a sitting position on the floor
3) Get back up
4) Don't touch anything with your hands.
The Sitting-Rising Test looks at the stability, flexibility, control, and balance of your movement. Basically, it's one test to evaluate the quality of your movement. We've known for a long time that the better you move your body, the better the quality of your life. But, this study actually puts the serious quantitative data into that. Going from a standing position to a sitting position, then back up requires a number of things working well in your body:
What You Need:
- Hip Flexion
- Ankle Stability and Control
- Spinal Stability and Control
- Balance
- Hip External Rotation flexibility
What You Can Not Do:
I'm describing all of these, in the context of this article, as 'Points of Support'. If you engage in any of these 'Points of Support', you lose points and thus lower your score.
- Hands On Knees
- Hands on the Floor
- Touch your knees to the floor
Study Highlights:
- The maximum possible score for is 10: 5 points for sitting down and 5 points for getting back up. For each 'point of support' that is used during sitting or standing back up there is a subtraction of 1 point.
- In one study of subjects between the ages of 51 and 80, those who had the lowest score range were 5-6 times more likely to die within the study period (about 6 years) than those in the group with the highest scores
Please take the sitting-rising test, and leave in the comments section below your score. Good luck!
What It Means:
So often we look at two things when we consider if our bodies are in good physical health:
- Body Composition - am I too chubby, or am I lean?
- Am I in Pain? - Do I have injuries like low back pain, sciatica, shoulder pain, whiplash, etc that lead to a decreased quality of life because of pain?
Well, this study looks at something completely different, and I would argue more important aspect of our physical health: How well do we move? It's when we don't move well that it really lowers our quality of life. How frustrating is it when you can't sleep when you can't exercise when you can't work?
As the fitness and medical communities evolve in the coming years, we are approaching movement with greater importance than ever before because we're realizing the important it is to our well being from a physical, chemical, and even emotional perspective. So I ask you.....
HOW WELL DO YOU MOVE????
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