Overview
- A peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Sport and Health Science tracked 1,876 people aged 65+ and found that low scores on a 30-second sit-to-stand test were linked to higher all-cause mortality.
- Women with low sit-to-stand power had about double the risk of death, while men with low power faced roughly a 57% higher risk.
- Researchers used power cutoffs of 2.53 watts per kilogram for men and 2.01 for women, and about 57% of participants fell below these thresholds.
- Low power was also tied to injuries and hospital use, with women showing over triple the odds of a recent hip fracture and men reporting more falls and fractures, alongside longer hospital stays.
- A separate University at Buffalo study of more than 5,000 older women found that stronger grip and faster chair stands were linked to better survival, including a 12% lower death risk with better grip strength.