還能活多久 2種預測壽命的簡易方法

The simple exercise of sitting down and standing up again without holding onto anything, could suggest how long you have to live.
只一個簡單的徒手坐下、再站起來的動作就能預測出你的壽命。真的麼？

This is the belief of a group of physicians, who came up with the ‘sitting-rising test’ to measure their patients’ flexibility and strength.
這是一羣醫生們提出的“坐-立測試”，他們用這種方法來測試病人身體的柔軟度和強度。

They developed a scoring system for the test and found that people who scored three points or less out of 10, were more than five times as likely to die within six years, as those who scored more than eight points.
這個測試方法還有一套計分規則，測試的滿分是10分。醫生們發現那些得3分或更少的人，在六年內有可能死亡的機率是得分在8分以上的人五倍還多。

Claudio Gil Araujo, of Gama Filho University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was among the doctors who originally developed the sitting rising test (SRT) to quickly assess the flexibility of athletes, but he now uses it to persuade his patients that they need to stay active to maintain their muscle and balance, and live longer, Discover Magazine reported.
克羅迪奧·吉爾·阿勞霍來自巴西里約熱內盧一所大學，他是“坐-立測試”的創始人之一。他們最初設計該方法是爲了快速測試運動員的身體柔軟度，但是現在他用這種方法來告訴他的病人，要堅持運動，這樣能鍛鍊肌肉、維持身體平衡，還能延長壽命。

As we age, our muscles tend to become weaker and a loss of balance means we are increasingly likely to fall.
隨着人們年齡的不斷增長，肌肉的力量逐漸減弱、平衡感降低，這都會增加摔倒的機率。

Dr Araujo says that anyone can take the SRT because no equipment is needed.
阿勞霍醫生說“坐-立測試”不需要使用任何儀器，所以任何人可以隨時隨地進行。

In a study, published in the European Journal of Cardiology, the researchers described how 2002 adults aged between 51 and 80 took the SRT at Clinimex Exercise Medicine Clinic in Rio.
在一篇發表在《歐洲心臟病期刊》上的研究裏，這些研究者們記錄了2002名51歲-80歲的成年人在里約熱內盧的Clinimex運動醫學診所內進行“坐-立測試”的過程。

They found that patients who scored fewer than eight points out of 10 on the test, were twice as likely to die within the next six years, compared with people with more perfect scores.
他們發現那些測試得分低於8分的人在隨後六年內死亡的概率是得分較高的人的兩倍。

One point was deducted each time a person used their hand or knee for support to either sit down or stand up, while half a point was deducted for losing their balance.
根據積分規則，測試者坐下或站起來的時候，每使用手或膝蓋支撐一次扣掉1分，每失去平衡一次扣掉0.5分。

The experts found that people who scored three points or fewer, were more than five times as likely to die within the same period.
那些得3分或更少的患者在同樣長時期內死去的概率是其他人的五倍還多。

They wrote in the study: ‘Musculoskeletal fitness, as assessed by SRT, was a significant predictor of mortality in 51–80-year-old subjects.’
該研究稱：“‘坐-立測試’所測試的骨骼肌系統的健康程度，是預測51歲-80歲的被試死亡率的一個顯著指標。”

The study found that every point increase in the test, was linked to a 21 per cent decrease in mortality from all causes.
該研究還發現，測試得分每增加1分，都意味着會減少21%的死亡率。

However, chartered physio-therapist Sammy Margo said that the exercise may be 'quite ambitious' for older people in the UK.
但是英國的理療醫生薩米·馬戈稱這項測試對英國的老年人來說可能會相當困難。

This is possibly because of cultural differences, because Britons are not used to regularly sitting on the floor, like in some other cultures. In this way, it may not be terribly accurate at predicting life expectancy.
這可能是文化差異造成的，因爲英國人日常生活中很少會像其他國家的人一樣坐在地板上，所以用“坐-立測試”預測壽命可能就不準確了。

UK physiotherapists tend to prefer another test, where patients stand up from a sitting position and see how many times they can repeat the action in 30 seconds.
英國的理療醫生們更傾向於另一種測試方法，即讓病人們從自己坐着的地方站起來、然後坐下，記錄30秒內能夠重複這個動作的次數。

'The "30 second chair test" is more appropriate and is used as a prognostic,' she said.
薩米說：“這個‘30秒椅子測試’更合理，而且常被作爲一個預測方法。”

'It's simplistic, quick and easy and gives a good indicator for falls.'
“它簡單、快速、便捷，並且是預測摔倒的機率。”

The test measures leg strength and endurance - which are needed to move around without falling - rather than flexibility and agility like the SRT.
該方法測試了腿部力量和忍耐力，這些因素而非“坐-立測試”的柔軟度和靈活度，纔是頻繁走動而不容易摔倒所必須的。

Healthy people aged between 60 and 64 are expected to stand and sit more than 12 times for women and 14 times for men in 30 seconds. A good score for a 90 to 94-year-old is siting and standing more than seven times for man and four times for women.
“30秒椅子測試”對於60歲-64歲的健康人來說，30秒內女性重複次數應不少於12次，男性則不少於14次。而90歲-94歲的老人對應的次數是，男性不少於7次，女性不少於4次。

While Ms Margo did not recommend the SRT, she said it does 'address everything' in terms of a person's strength and flexibility.
薩米認爲“坐-立測試”只通過測量一個人的身體力量和柔軟度而預測了整個生命長度，她並不推薦這個方法。