Better Ways to Assess Your Long-Term Health

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

“If you can’t get up out of your chair using 1 leg, your hips aren’t strong or healthy enough for when you get older.”

That was the advice my friend got from a health professional years ago, and it came up again while we were chatting about long-term health.

Sure, this statement is catchy and eye opening. It might even make you question where your health is now. It certainly convinced them to practice getting out of a chair with 1 leg.

None of these are necessarily bad things…. however, the statement is also misleading.

Getting up from the chair with one leg involves a mixture of strength, mobility, and balance. Those things are great indicators for longevity, AND

1. That specific movement is more complex than the assessments that are actually used to test for future longevity or disability.

2. Hip strength isn’t the only thing to think about when it comes to health as you get older.

Let's get into it.

What are some tests that are used to assess future health?

There are actually tests and assessments that have been studied for their reliability in testing for future disability or lifespan. The ones that involve sitting use both feet: the Sitting-Rising Test and the Chair Stand Test.

In the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT), you start standing, sit on the floor, and then get back up. You’re trying to do that without using your hands, limbs, other body parts, or props like a wall or chair. You’re also trying to keep your balance the whole time. This combines strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination; and is associated with non-aerobic fitness and mortality risk.

I’d been using the SRT with students, at health fairs, and as my party trick at networking events. But when I booked a talk with an independent living facility, I decided to reassess my assessment. Not everyone in this group is able to get up and down from the floor without fear, if at all.

How could I help them feel successful while still giving them a tool to assess their strength, mobility, and balance?

That’s when I discovered the chair stand.

In the Chair Stand Test, you start seated and get up out of the chair without using your arms or hands. There’s an option to see how many times you can get in and out of your chair over 30 seconds, and an option to see how long it takes you to stand up out of your chair 5 times.

The Chair Stand is part of a larger assessment called the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). It tests balance, lower extremity strength, and functional capacity for people over 65. When I use this during my interactive talks, I like to include the chair stand test, a standing balance, or both. There's not usually enough time to assess everyone's walk.

What are some things to practice to improve long-term health?

Having healthy hips when you’re older is great. AND it’s only 1 piece of your long-term health. Some other things to think about…

• heart health (cardiovascular disease has been the number 1 cause of death in the US for about 100 years)

• the health and mobility of all your joints (not just your hips)

• strength and control of your muscles through your whole range of motion (not just end range)

• being able to adapt your movement and lifestyle across your life stages and the current context of your life (because your body and responsibilities change)

• injury prevention and recovery (you’re less likely to go into the frailty cycle if you don’t get injured)

• mental and emotional health (since you’re more than your body)

• social connection (SuperAgers, people over 80 who have the mental capacity of an average 50 year old, have a high level of social engagement)

What if I’m not good at all the things that go into long term-health?

Some people have been working on their health all their lives. They usually have a high degree of functional capacity. Folks that haven't been practicing tend to have less functional abilities. For example, they might have a harder time getting up and down from the floor, going up and down the stairs, or putting on their socks and shoes.

If you’re in the group that hasn’t been practicing, there’s still good news.

Your body has the ability to adapt. If you can’t do something now, that doesn’t mean you’ll never be able to do it.

Being guided through a movement and adaptations can help you see what’s possible even if (or especially if) you’re not as fit as you were in your 20s. Having someone give you questions to explore your mental and emotional landscape without judgement can prevent overwhelm. Adding resistance (physical, mental, or emotional), while you’re in a regulated state helps you build capacity and resilience.

The sooner you start practicing and creating change, the more capacity and resources you’ll have for the future.

It’s not always easy to start something new or maintain your practices when you’ve got all the other responsibilities of your life happening. Having other people in the room can provide the support and accountability you need to keep going. This can be with a group class that boosts your community connection and energy, or it can be through one-on-one training or coaching that cultivates depth and provides personal recommendations.

Something else to keep in mind as you go through your health journey

Healthy aging doesn't ensure we live forever. It allows us to live fully in the present without clinging to any single version of life. The longevity practices you do can help you have a more easeful future.

If you're interested in applying these concepts to your life, let's chat. We can get on a free discovery call, talk about 1 thing you'd like to work on, and I'll give you some resources and things to think about in the process.