The Healthspan Map · Fitness (Ch7-8)

Lower-body strength (chair stands / sitting-rising)

What this is linked to

Where Lower-body strength (chair stands / sitting-rising) is linked — 5 sources.In the order the Map holds them: strongest evidence first. That is a statement about the evidence, not about what matters most.
Nutrient or lever	Direction	Strength	Evidence type	What was found	Source
Lower-body strength (chair stands / sitting-rising)	Watch this	Strong	RCT / meta-analysis	Lower-limb strength gains of 15-35% accompany 20-45% fall reductions; leg strength is a core fall determinant.	Balance-strength fall-prevention RCT review (PMC12842942) (opens in a new tab)
Lower-body strength (chair stands / sitting-rising)	Watch this	Strong	Established clinical	The chair-stand is a validated Short Physical Performance Battery test; slow performance marks low muscle strength (probable sarcopenia).	Tromso Study 2015-2020 / SPPB (chair-stand as EWGSOP2 criterion) (opens in a new tab)
Lower-body strength (chair stands / sitting-rising)	Watch this	Moderate	Cohort / observational	Low sitting-rising test scores predicted natural and cardiovascular mortality; low scorers clustered excess fat, dynapenia, poor flexibility and balance.	Araujo/Brito, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology 2025 (sitting-rising test) (opens in a new tab)
Lower-body strength (chair stands / sitting-rising)	Watch this	Moderate	Cohort / observational	Probable sarcopenia (low grip or slow chair-stand) raised all-cause mortality (HR 1.77).	CHARLS 9-year cohort (n=11,233) (opens in a new tab)
Lower-body strength (chair stands / sitting-rising)	Watch this	Moderate	Cohort / observational	The lowest sitting-rising scores carried a 5-6x higher all-cause mortality risk in adults 51-80.	Brito et al., Eur J Prev Cardiol 2014 (sitting-rising test) (opens in a new tab)