The five-times sit-to-stand test measures lower-limb strength in under a minute, with only a chair and a watch. It is part of standard sarcopenia and frailty screening.
Ask the patient to fold their arms and stand fully up and sit down five times as fast as safely possible. A time over about 15 seconds suggests weakness worth acting on, and inability to complete it is itself a strong signal.
- Use a standard-height chair against a wall, arms folded across the chest.
- Time five full stands from the first rise to the final sit.
- Treat a time over about 15 seconds, or inability to complete, as a sign of low strength.
- Repeat at follow-up to track response to exercise or nutrition.
Why it matters
A one-minute test gives a number that tracks frailty and can be repeated at every visit.
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