Getting up from a chair may seem like a small thing. But it helps you do much bigger things. You stand up to make breakfast, answer the door, or head out for a walk.
After 50, this everyday move is worth noticing. It can give you clues about your leg strength and how well you move. But it is not a pass-or-fail test of your health.
What does standing up tell us?
When you rise from a chair, your legs do much of the work. Your balance helps keep you steady. The chair's height, joint pain, and how you move can also affect how hard it feels.
Using your hands is not a failure. It may be the safest choice for you. The goal is to move with control, not to prove a point.
What published research found
In a 1999 study, researchers tested 76 adults over age 60. They counted how many times each person could stand from a chair in 30 seconds. They also measured leg strength with a leg-press test.
People who did better on the chair test tended to have stronger legs. The results suggest that a timed chair-stand test can help measure lower-body strength in older adults. This study looked at repeated stands, not just one rise without using your hands. [1]
A chair test is not a floor test
You may have seen stories about getting up without using your hands and living longer. Those stories often refer to a different test: sitting down on the floor and getting back up.
In a large study, 4,282 adults ages 46 to 75 took this floor test. Researchers followed them for about 12 years, using the middle follow-up time. People with lower scores had a higher risk of death during follow-up. The link remained after researchers accounted for age and several health factors. [2]
This does not mean the test can tell you how long you will live. It also does not prove that practicing the move makes you live longer. The study found a link, not proof of cause and effect.
Most important, standing from a chair is not the same as rising from the floor. You should not apply the floor-test findings to one chair stand.
Notice the move, safely
You do not need to try the floor test at home. If you want to notice how standing from a chair feels, choose a firm, stable chair that will not slide. Keep support within reach.
Use your hands if you need them. Rise at a pace that feels safe. Notice whether the move feels smooth, painful, or less steady than it used to.
Stop if you feel pain, dizziness, chest discomfort, or shortness of breath that is unusual for you. If you have trouble with balance, recent surgery, or limits on exercise, ask your health care provider before trying a new exercise.
Make everyday strength the goal
If standing up has become harder, a doctor or physical therapist can help you find out why. They can also help you choose safe ways to build strength and balance.
That may include chair-rise practice with support or other leg exercises that fit your needs. There is no need to rush or compete with someone else's score.
A small study of 26 older men found that a 12-week recreational soccer program improved chair-stand performance compared with a group that kept its usual exercise habits. The study was small and included only men, so it does not tell us what will work for everyone. Still, it offers one example of how movement skills can improve with training. It is not a reason to start soccer without considering your health and fall risk. [3]
The takeaway
Standing up matters because it helps you live your daily life. It is one clue about how you move, not a verdict on your health or your future.
Use support when you need it. Pay attention to changes. And aim for steady progress that helps you feel more capable in the moments that matter.
This article is for general education, not medical advice. Talk with your health care provider about new pain, weakness, or changes in balance.
Published sources
[1] Jones, Rikli, and Beam. A 30-s chair-stand test as a measure of lower body strength in community-residing older adults. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 1999.
[2] Araújo and colleagues. Sitting-rising test scores predict natural and cardiovascular causes of deaths in middle-aged and older men and women. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Published online in 2025.