A quick 30-second fitness test can be an indicator of how long you’ll live, according to a new study linking mobility and mortality.

The study from the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology looked at how well men and women could go from a standing position to sitting on the floor before standing back up again, without using their hands, knees, other people or furniture.

The exercise, called the Sitting-Rising test, scored 4282 men and women between 46 and 75, giving them a final score between 0 to 10 based on their ability to sit and stand.

Those with lower scores were found to have higher mortality rates.

Middle-aged and older people who needed no support to sit or stand were six times less likely to die of heart disease and cardiovascular conditions over the next decade compared to people who wobbled on the way up or down, and had difficulty completing the task.

Test yourself with a partner

Author of the study Claudio Gil Araújo warned not to do this test alone. 

Anyone with a disability, like a hip or spine injury, or anyone with serious joint problems, shouldn’t do the test, as it can cause unnecessary pain. 

Get another person to watch you and score your sitting and standing movements by following the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT) system:

• Place a cushion under you to avoid injuries if you fall.
• The test begins with 5 points for the sitting action and 5 points for the rising action, totalling 10 points.
• Start with 5 points for the sitting action. Try to lower yourself by crossing one foot in front of the other, and lower yourself.
• One point is subtracted for each support used, such as a hand, forearm or knee.
• If one hand is placed on the knee for support, it counts as a support; deduct one point.
• Half a point (0.5) is subtracted if the action is as unsteady, indicating a partial loss of balance.
• A score of 0 is given if the person is not able to sit from the floor without external assistance (like using a table or wall to sit and stand, or with another person’s help).
• Once on the floor, begin the standing action. Start with another 5 points.
• Score the standing action in the same way, deduct a point for using a support and half a point (0.5) for a wobble.
• Score a 0 if they are unable to stand without external help.
• The final score is obtained by adding the sitting and rising partial scores, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 10.

The test is supposed to measure a range of health aspects, such as muscular health, balance, flexibility and body composition.

What does my score mean? 

Based on the study, your SRT score provides an indication of your non-aerobic physical fitness. This is linked to your risk of natural death and death caused by cardiovascular disease/illness.

SRT Score of 10 (Perfect Score):

• A perfect score indicates excellent non-aerobic fitness, including muscle strength, flexibility and balance.
• A score of 10 is associated with the lowest risk of natural mortality, with a death rate of 3.7 per cent.
• Those with a perfect score had a cardiovascular death rate of 0.9 per cent.
• Survival rates in this group after a decade were at 97 per cent.
• Higher scores are also related to easier performance of daily activities, increased participation in physical activity, exercise, and sports, and potentially a better overall quality of life

SRT Score of 8:

• A score of 8 typically means you used only one hand or knee for support to sit and rise from the floor
• The natural causes death rate for this group was 11.1 per cent, which is triple the rate of those who scored a perfect 10.
• Survival rates after a decade were at 88 per cent for this group.

SRT Scores of 4.5-7.5:

• A score between 4.5 and 7.5 was associated with an increased risk of premature death
• People in this group had a 2.23 times increased risk of natural death compared to those with a score of 10
• People in this group had a 3.25 times increased risk of cardiovascular deaths compared to those with a score of 10
• The death rate for natural causes in this group was 20.4 per cent.

When renowned Japanese pain specialist Dr. Hiroshi Tanaka made his shocking discovery at the Tokyo Spine Institute, even his colleagues couldn’t believe it.

Here’s the terrifying truth: That ordinary pillow on your bed is silently destroying your health.

Using advanced muscle monitoring technology, Dr. Tanaka’s research showed something alarming: Your trapezius muscle – the crucial connector between your neck and shoulders – never gets a chance to rest. It stays locked in a state of constant tension ALL NIGHT LONG.

“It’s like torture for your body,” Dr. Tanaka explains. “Think about it – you wouldn’t stand with your neck twisted for 8 hours during the day. But that’s exactly what your regular pillow does to you every night.”

This explains why:

• Your neck pain keeps getting worse
• Those headaches won’t go away
• Sleep feels less refreshing every night
• Expensive treatments only work temporarily

And according to Dr. Tanaka’s research, this is just the beginning of the damage…

The Shocking “Pain Cascade” Your Pillow Triggers Every Night

Dr. Tanaka’s research revealed something even more alarming – what he calls “The Pain Cascade Effect.”

“What starts in your neck is just the beginning,” warns Dr. Tanaka. “We discovered that this nightly muscle tension sets off a devastating chain reaction throughout your entire upper body.”

Here’s what happens while you sleep:

First, your neck muscles lock up – like a rubber band pulled too tight. Then, that tension spreads into your shoulders, kind of like dominoes falling.

Finally, it creeps down into your upper back, creating a web of pain that’s nearly impossible to untangle.

But it gets worse.

Using specialized blood flow imaging, Dr. Tanaka’s team discovered something frightening. This constant muscle tension actually chokes off vital blood supply to these areas. “It’s like your body is slowly suffocating these muscles every single night,” he explains.

The result? A vicious cycle that gets worse over time:

• Your chronic pain deepens
• Your muscles get more and more tired
• Daily discomfort becomes your new normal
• Your upper body ages faster than it should

“Most disturbing,” Dr. Tanaka adds, “is that traditional treatments can’t stop this cascade. As long as you’re using a regular pillow, you’re resetting this damage cycle every single night.”

The worst part? Sleeping THIS way also drastically increases your chances of developing migraines.

Not just regular headaches – we’re talking about those knock-you-off-your-feet migraines that come with dizziness, blurred vision, and sometimes even make you sick to your stomach.

URGENT: Your Pillow May Be Triggering Dangerous Neurological Problems

“What we discovered about migraines was the most frightening part of our research,” Dr. Tanaka says, his voice growing serious. “The wrong pillow doesn’t just cause pain – it can trigger severe neurological events.”

During his 25-year study at the Tokyo Spine Institute, Dr. Tanaka saw a pattern emerging. Those seemingly innocent pillows weren’t just causing discomfort – they were creating what he calls a “neurological nightmare”:

🚨 You might be at risk if you’re experiencing:

• Headaches that seem to come out of nowhere
• Random bouts of dizziness
• Those weird spots in your vision
• Feeling sick to your stomach for no reason
• Finding yourself squinting at lights that never bothered you before

“But here’s what really makes my blood boil,” Dr. Tanaka says. “The medical industry is making a fortune from your suffering.”

THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT CHIROPRACTOR VISITS:

• 7 or 8 out of 10 patients become regulars
• Each visit costs you €60-120
• That adds up to €3,000-6,000 every year
• And let’s not even mention the risks: possible strokes, spinal injuries, bone damage

“I’ve watched too many patients empty their wallets on temporary fixes,” Dr. Tanaka explains. “Meanwhile, their pillow – the real culprit – keeps destroying their health every single night.”

Nine people were taken to hospital and 200 evacuated following a chemical incident at a public pool in Melbourne’s north.

Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) were called to the Broadmeadows Leisure Centre about 6.15pm on Friday night after people reported the smell of gas inside the centre.

Firefighters found multiple people affected by the chemicals upon arrival.

A FRV spokesperson confirmed to NewsWire that nine people were taken to hospital for treatment following the incident.

About 200 people were evacuated from the leisure centre while FRV hazmat specialists ventilated the premises.

A positive reading for sodium hydrogen sulphate was found by the hazmat specialists.

The centre was confirmed to be safe to re-enter two hours later by FRV.

A Hume City Council spokeswoman said the incident was sparked by the occurrence of a chemical reaction during routine pool maintenance on Friday evening.

The spokeswoman said the nine people taken to hospital had been in contact with the council, and “we understand they are all doing well”.

“Following a thorough assessment by WorkSafe immediately after the incident, it was confirmed the facility was safe to reopen Saturday morning,” the spokeswoman said.

An internal review has been launched to confirm the incident’s cause, and to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“We thank our staff and emergency services for their swift and professional response and thank the community for their understanding and support,” the spokeswoman said.

Sodium hydrogen sulphate, also known as sodium bisulphate, can be used to adjust pH levels in water.