Baseline Measures of Health | Heather Lane PT – Physical Therapist in Denver, CO
May 31, 2022What’s your baseline activity level? Are you getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week? How about the two days of multiple segment strength training?
A quarter of adults and eight percent of older adults achieve the recommended dose of exercise per week.
Well, if not, you’re not alone. Only a quarter of adults and eight percent of older adults achieve the recommended dose of exercise per week. Today we are going to hone in not just on overall fitness or activity level, but the importance of baseline measures. We’re going to look at one test: the 30-second sit-to-stand test.
Sit to Stand Test
This test captures important information on:
- Lower body strength,
- Static balance,
- Quad endurance,
- Spinal posture,
- Hip strength,
- And joint motion.
This test is commonly used for people that have trouble with sustained activity postural issues. It’s also great if you’re ready to start a new workout routine.
Exercise Is a Pill
Exercise is a pill. It is most effective when taken regularly, and we should be assessing its worth by gathering relevant information over time. We can only improve upon what we can measure. We can track whether our gym or at-home strengthening program is making changes in our bodies, and we can track those changes by repeating this test after a period of time. For this exercise, 3 months is a good length of time to get an update.
If you’re not in the norms for your age group, I encourage you to email me at [email protected]. We can customize a strengthening plan for you. This can be accomplished virtually as well as in person. The next blog in this series will offer even more suggestions for how to modify or progress exercises that will improve your 30-second sit-to-stand test.
– Patrick Donovan
