Ask the person to sit in a standard chair without arms, fold their arms across the chest, and stand up fully and sit down five times as fast as they safely can. Time it with a watch.
A time of about 15 seconds or more, or inability to complete it without using the arms, suggests lower-limb weakness and raised fall risk. It needs no equipment, works in any clinic, and gives a number to track after starting an exercise programme.
- Use a standard armless chair, arms folded across the chest
- Time five full stands as fast as safely possible
- Treat about 15 seconds or more, or needing the arms, as abnormal
- Repeat after an exercise programme to measure change
Why it matters
Turns 'is the patient weak?' into a measurable, repeatable number.
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