Regular physical activity is linked with longer life expectancy and better quality of life. It is already known that wellness is related to health-related quality of life and personal autonomy. There is a consensus that a good physical fitness depends not only on adequate levels of maximal aerobic power, but also on appropriate levels of muscle power and strength, flexibility, and postural stability. Thus, it is convenient that, in the public health and clinical perspectives, there should be simple and highly sensitive screening tools that makes evaluation of these variables in office possible. The purpose of this article is to introduce the Sitting-rising test (SRT). The SRT basically consists in the quantification of the number of support (hands and/or knees, or hands or forearms on knees) one utilizes in order to sit and to rise from the floor. Independent grades are provided to each of the two actions - sitting and rising. The maximal grade is 5 for each one of the actions, losing one point for each support and additional half point for any detectable unbalance. The SRT allows, in very short time and practically in any place, the evaluation of many items - flexibility of lower limb joints, balance, motor coordination, and muscle power/body weight relationship - at the same time, which could be perhaps characterized as minimum functional muscular fitness. Based on the SRT results, health professionals are likely to have better means of stimulating the adoption of more active lifestyles and to advising physical activity programs in a more scientific way.
Health-related quality of life; Physical fitness; Fitness testing; Muscle power; Flexibility; Autonomy