Fell and hurt, or cannot get up? Call 911.
- If you are hurt or cannot get up on your own, ask someone for help or call 911.
- With someone who just fell? Read helping after a fall.
Source: NIA This page cannot see or answer an emergency.
The 30-second chair stand
A leg-strength check from CDC’s STEADI program. Count how many times you stand up from a chair in 30 seconds, then compare with the scores CDC calls below average for your age.
1. Before you start
- Have someone stand next to you. CDC’s instructions tell the person giving the test to stand next to the person doing it, for safety. Source: CDC STEADI
- A sturdy chair with a straight back and no arm rests (seat about 17 inches high), against a wall so it cannot slide. Source: CDC STEADI
- Stop if you feel dizzy, or have chest pain or pressure. Source: NIA If you have fallen recently, are recovering from surgery, or are unsure, ask your clinician first.
2. How to do it
- Sit in the middle of the chair. Cross your arms at the wrists, hands on the opposite shoulders. Feet flat on the floor, back straight.
- On “Go,” stand all the way up, then sit all the way back down. Repeat for 30 seconds.
- Count each time you come to a full stand. If you are more than halfway up when time runs out, count it.
- If you have to use your arms to stand, stop. The score is 0. Tell your clinician.
These steps are CDC STEADI’s, in our words. Source: CDC STEADI
3. Time it and count
0:30
Stands counted (the helper can tap + each time you stand):
Your count, age and table stay on this page. Nothing is saved or sent. Close the page and they are gone.
4. CDC’s below-average scores
Fewer stands than this, for your age, is below average. CDC: a below-average score indicates a risk for falls. Source: CDC STEADI
| Age | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 60-64 | fewer than 14 | fewer than 12 |
| 65-69 | fewer than 12 | fewer than 11 |
| 70-74 | fewer than 12 | fewer than 10 |
| 75-79 | fewer than 11 | fewer than 10 |
| 80-84 | fewer than 10 | fewer than 9 |
| 85-89 | fewer than 8 | fewer than 8 |
| 90-94 | fewer than 7 | fewer than 4 |
The table covers ages 60 to 94 and uses CDC’s two columns, men and women.
5. Whatever the number
- Tell a provider if you have fallen, worry about falling, or feel unsteady. Source: CDC STEADI
- Bring the number to your next visit, on the visit sheet.
- Leg strength can be built. The balance practice page has the CDC chair rise exercise.
This is one check, not a diagnosis. A clinician looks at the whole picture: medicines, balance, eyes, feet and the home.
Next stops
Sources
- National Institute on Aging (NIA): Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and Prevention
- CDC STEADI: Assessment, 30-Second Chair Stand (2017; checked 2026-10-27). The equipment, the steps, the arms rule, the halfway rule, the below-average table and “A below average score indicates a risk for falls.” Limit: written for a clinician giving the test.
- NIA: Three Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Physical Ability: activity “should not cause dizziness, chest pain or pressure.” (checked 2026-10-26)
- CDC STEADI: What You Can Do to Prevent Falls: “Tell a provider right away if you fall, worry about falling, or feel unsteady.” (checked 2026-10-26)