Before you start
A quick safety check
- Dizziness, chest pain or shortness of breath when you exert yourself
- A broken bone or leg surgery in the past few months
- An unstable heart condition
- A sturdy, regular-height chair against a wall, no armrests
- Having someone with you is best - for counting and for safety
- Stop right away if you feel pain or dizziness
Step 2 of 3
Age group
Sex (research values differ for men and women)
The measurement
Tap to start
Your result
stands in 30 seconds
This compares you to published research values - not a grade or a diagnosis.
For ages 60+, the range shown is the normal range from Rikli & Jones 1999 (Senior Fitness Test, 7,183 participants) - the middle 50% of the population for each age group and sex. A score below the bottom of that range counts as below average, and that's the same cutoff the CDC's falls-prevention program (STEADI) uses.
For young adults (18-35) the value comes from a small 2022 study (81 participants) that found an average of about 33 stands - treat that comparison as approximate. For ages 36-59 there aren't solid reference values yet, so no comparison is shown.
A measurement at home is less precise than a supervised one, and is affected by chair height, fatigue and time of day.
The test doubles as the exercise: 2-3 rounds of 8-10 stands, with a support within reach, a few times a week. To progress, slow down the way down.
Want to understand what your result means for you?
This tool is for general guidance only - it isn't a medical diagnosis. Results are anonymous and never stored.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
The balance test by age completes the picture - together with the chair stand it makes up the full falls screen.
To the test →What does the chair stand test measure?
The 30-second chair stand test is one of the most widely used functional measures in rehab. It checks the strength and endurance of your leg muscles through a basic everyday action - getting up from a chair - which makes it useful for almost anyone: after surgery or an injury, during stretches when you move less, in older age, and during and after cancer treatment. The test is part of the Senior Fitness Test battery and of the CDC's STEADI falls-prevention program.
Reference values by age and sex
The table shows the normal range - the middle 50% of the population - from Rikli & Jones 1999, a study of 7,183 community-dwelling adults aged 60-94. A score below the bottom of the range counts as below average, and STEADI uses that same line as a signal of higher falls risk.
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 60-64 | 14-19 | 12-17 |
| 65-69 | 12-18 | 11-16 |
| 70-74 | 12-17 | 10-15 |
| 75-79 | 11-17 | 10-15 |
| 80-84 | 10-15 | 9-14 |
| 85-89 | 8-14 | 8-13 |
| 90+ | 7-12 | 4-11 |
Number of full stands in 30 seconds. Group reference values - not diagnostic thresholds. For ages 36-59 there aren't solid reference values yet, so the tool shows your result as a personal baseline instead.
How to do the test properly
Use a sturdy, regular-height chair against a wall, with no armrests. Sit in the middle of the seat, feet flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart, arms crossed over your chest. From sitting, stand all the way up and sit all the way back down - that's one stand - and repeat as many times as you can in 30 seconds. If you finish a stand just as time runs out, it counts. Having someone nearby helps, both for counting and for safety.
What do you do with the result?
The number alone isn't a diagnosis. It's useful for two things: comparing you to reference values for your age and sex, and - more than anything - tracking over time. Measuring again in a month or two shows you which way things are going. A consistently low score, trouble standing up without pushing off with your hands, or a quick drop in what you can do are all good reasons to get checked out and find out why.