Can You Get Up From the Floor? This question matters more than you think

Today, my husband and I took a walk to the beach.  We found a nice spot under the trees and were enjoying the view of the ocean.   A little way ahead of us, I spotted a couple… about our age.

The woman was sitting on a mat on the sand, and when it was time to get up, she couldn’t do it alone. Her husband had to brace, pull, lift… and you could see that quiet mix of frustration and worry that so many people feel in that moment.

And it hit me…

This isn’t about beaches or mats or getting older “one day”.

This is about mobility… the kind that quietly predicts how long we stay independent, confident, and alive.

Being able to get up from the ground isn’t a party trick.  It’s a whole-body “vital sign”.

Why getting up from the floor is such a powerful marker

Think about what it actually takes to sit down on the floor and rise back up without help:

• Leg strength (especially the large muscles in your thighs and glutes)
• Hip and ankle mobility
• Core control
• Balance and coordination
• Joint comfort and stability
• Confidence without fear of falling
• A body composition that allows efficient movement
• Healthy circulation to maintain blood pressure with a significant change in position

So when someone struggles… it usually isn’t one problem.

It’s a cluster of signals.

And those signals matter because they connect directly to risks that shorten life… falls, frailty, loss of muscle, sedentary living, worsening insulin resistance / metabolic health, and progressive loss of independence.

The research link: floor-rising ability and longevity

There’s a simple assessment called the Sitting-Rising Test (SRT), studied in adults mainly in midlife and older age.

In one large study, adults aged 51–80 who performed worse on the SRT had a significantly higher risk of dying…

And, a larger follow-up study of adults 46–75 found a clear “stepwise” pattern… people with the lowest SRT scores had much higher death rates over time, including from cardiovascular causes.

Now, I want to be very clear…

This does not mean the test “decides” your future.

It means your body is giving you information… early enough to do something about it.

“Dr Karen… so if I can’t get up easily, is something wrong with me?”

If you struggle to rise from the floor, it can mean many things… and most are modifiable.

Common reasons I see:

• Low leg strength (very common, even in people who “walk a lot”)
• Stiff hips/ankles (especially if you spend a lot of time sitting in one position)
• Knee or back pain (which changes your movement strategy)
• Poor balance (this may be subtle until you’re low to the ground)
• Excess weight (because the demand on your legs and core rises sharply)
• Fear of falling (which can make you freeze or move inefficiently)

I can personally confirm that being overweight makes a huge difference to mobility… I’ve lived in a body that didn’t always move easily (obesity, insulin resistance, thyroid issues, PCOS… the full messy package).  And, the freedom you get from weight loss and physical fitness and movement without pain is truly empowering.

Try the Sitting-Rising Test at home… 

Please do this only if you feel steady and you’re not in significant pain. If you’re unsure, do it with someone nearby to help you.

Set-up

• Use a yoga mat or carpeted floor
• Barefoot or stable and comfortable shoes
• Have a chair close by “just in case” you need something for support

The test

1. Start by standing comfortably.

2. Sit down on the floor.

3. Stand back up.  Try to do this without the aid of your arms or hands or other support.

Scoring (simple version)

• You start with 10 points total (5 for sitting, 5 for rising).
• Subtract 1 point each time you use a hand, forearm, knee, or the side of your leg for support.
• Subtract 0.5 points if you noticeably wobble or experience instability.

Your score isn’t a label… it’s a starting point.

What I care about most is this question:

Can we improve your score over the next 8–12 weeks?

Almost always… the answer is yes.

What “good” looks like (and what matters even more)

A higher score generally reflects better combined strength, balance, flexibility and control.

But here’s the deeper truth…

Even if you currently need a hand… what matters most is that you train the pathway back to independence.

Because the ability to get up from the ground protects you in real life:

• after a stumble
• during play with kids or grandkids
• when gardening, cleaning, traveling
• when life happens and you end up on the floor unexpectedly

Why this connects to “healthy aging” in general

The SRT is part of a bigger theme in medicine: simple movement tests predict health outcomes because they reflect how well your major body systems are working together.

For example:

• A 10-second one-leg balance test has also been linked to survival in middle-aged and older adults.  If you can stand on one leg for 10 seconds, you are likely to live longer.
• Walking speed (gait speed) predicts survival remarkably well in older adults.  The faster you walk (naturally), the longer you live.
• Overall muscle strength is strongly associated with lower all-cause mortality risk.

Different tests… same message.

Strength, balance, and mobility are not “fitness extras”…

They’re longevity essentials.

The most important mindset shift: mobility is trainable

If you take one thing from this…

Please let it be this:

Needing help today doesn’t mean you’ll need help forever.

Mobility responds beautifully to practice… especially when we focus on the exact skills the body is missing.

So let’s train the exact movement you want back.

An 8-week “get up from the floor” plan (gentle but powerful)

If you’ve been sedentary, have joint pain, or feel unsteady, start with the earlier steps and stay there longer. Consistency beats intensity… always.

Step 1: Build the basics (Weeks 1–2)

Aim: strength + confidence

• Chair sit-to-stand: 2–3 sets of 6–10 reps

• Wall push-ups (yes, they help… you use arms to assist rising in early stages): 2 sets of 6–12

• Glute bridges (to strengthen your major stabilising muscles): 2 sets of 8–12

• Supported balance (one hand on a wall): 30–60 seconds total per side

Step 2: Add control closer to the floor (Weeks 3–5)

Aim: safer transitions

• Half-kneeling practice (use a cushion under the knee): 3–5 slow reps each side

• Step-ups (a low step): 2 sets of 6–10 each leg

• Hip mobility (gentle stretches for hip flexors + glutes): 3–5 minutes

• Ankle mobility (knee-to-wall rocks): 1–2 minutes per ankle

Step 3: Practice the real skill (Weeks 6–8)

Aim: floor-to-stand patterning

• “Floor ladder” practice (with support as needed):
  • sit on floor
  • roll to side
  • move to hands-and-knees
  • bring one foot forward to half-kneel
  • stand using hands on thigh or chair if needed
    Do 3–5 slow rounds, 3x/week.

Here’s the magic…

Your body learns what you rehearse.

Practising the transition is what makes the transition easier.

Tiny daily habit that changes everything

If it’s safe for you, spend 2–5 minutes a day getting comfortable nearer the ground:

• Sit on the floor while stretching
• Get up and down once or twice with support
• Play with balance in a controlled way – stand on one leg while brushing your teeth

Not dramatic.

Just consistent.

And over time, that consistency adds years of independence.

Safety notes I want you to respect

Please speak to your clinician or physio before doing this if you have:

• chest pain, unexplained dizziness, fainting
• recent surgery
• severe arthritis, joint pain or severe back pain
• neurological symptoms (new weakness, numbness, loss of balance)
• a history of frequent falls

And if you try the test and it feels risky… that’s not failure.  That’s useful data.  Modify and build your capability gradually.

Remember:  You can improve your mobility and longevity

Watching that couple today reminded me of something I tell patients all the time…

Longevity isn’t just about living longer.

It’s about living able.

Able to move… able to get up… able to keep your world wide and your confidence intact.

So if you’re reading this and thinking, “That could be me…”

Let that thought motivate you.

Because mobility can return.

And you don’t have to wait for a wake-up call on a beach mat to start.