The chair test and other simple checks that show how well you’re ageing

No FanCy equipment, no cost, no waiting to see the GP — these simple tests, which you can do in the comfort of your own home, are surprisingly revealing about the state of your health. each takes only a minute or so to complete . . .

WINDOW TEST FOR EYE CONDITIONS

DO THIS: Look at a large window frame from across a room, first with your right eye only (cover your left with your palm for 30 seconds), then your left eye only.

WHAT IT MEANS: If the frame edges seem wavy, broken or distorted, it may indicate age-related macular degeneration (aMD), which can lead to blindness.

robin Hamilton, a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Moorfields eye Hospital, London, confirms the above symptoms can be an early sign of the eye condition, along with missing areas of vision. But you might not notice it dayto-day as the eyes compensate for defective vision.

there are two forms of aMD — wet and dry. With the wet form, which is more aggressive, tiny blood vessels grow under the retina — the light- sensitive patch at the back of the eye, damaging central vision. It’s important it’s spotted early, as this is when treatment — with injections or light therapy — is most successful. there is no treatment for dry aMD, but this progresses much more slowly.

If you are concerned after doing this test, see your GP or optician urgently.

CUSHION TEST FOR BLOOD VESSELS

DO THIS: Lie on a bed and raise both legs to a 45-degree angle on cushions. Hold them there for one minute then quickly hang your legs over the side of the bed at 90 degrees.

WHAT IT MEANS: If one or both feet become very pale when elevated but take minutes to return to a normal pink colour, or become very red when dangling, you might have peripheral arterial disease (PaD), where arteries to the legs fur up, raising the risk of heart attack and stroke.

In healthy people, the normal pink colour should return within 10-30 seconds, according to Michael Gaunt, a consultant vascular surgeon in Cambridge.

‘But for people with severely blocked arteries it can take minutes, and the feet may go very bright red in the second part of the test,’ he says. the redness occurs as tiny blood vessels expand to counteract poor blood flow. But this test can give a false positive — it could be sign of poor circulation linked to raynaud’s disease, for example, where vessels contract in the cold.

other signs of PaD are cramping, pain and tiredness in the legs while walking or climbing stairs.

CLOCK TEST FOR BRAIN FUNCTION

DO THIS: Draw a clock by hand on a piece of paper, add the numbers and make the hands point to 3.40.

WHAT IT MEANS: any difficulty drawing the clock (if the numbers aren’t in the correct order, for instance) may be a sign of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia.

Score one point for a closed circle, one for properly placed numbers, one for including all 12 numbers and one for properly placed hands.

Four points indicates good cognitive health; anything less could be a cause for concern.

this test taps into a range of cognitive abilities including memory and problem solving. Studies have shown it’s a good predictor of cognitive health. If you are concerned after carrying out this test then contact your GP.

CROSS-LEG TEST FOR MUSCLES

DO THIS: Stand in front of a mirror and lower yourself into a cross-legged sitting position on the floor without using your hands for support or kneeling, then return to standing.

(Do not attempt this if you have arthritic knees or hips.)

WHAT IT MEANS: Starting at ten, subtract one point each time you have had to use a hand or knee for support, and half a point every time you wobble in any way — you should aim to score eight or above. this is a test of muscle strength, balance, flexibility and agility.

In a study published last year in the european Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers found that adults over 50 who could do this without wobbling or using their hand for support lived longer.

those who scored less than eight were twice as likely to die within the next six years, from any cause, as people with perfect scores.

you have to be fit and flexible to carry out the test, and this may reflect having healthy, flexible cardiac arteries.

CHAIR TEST FOR RISK OF FALLS

DO THIS: Measure a 3m/10ft distance in one of the rooms in your home and place a dining chair at one end.

now, ask a friend to stand at the other end with a stopwatch to time you. Sit on the chair, start the time, get up, walk the distance, turn around, walk back to the chair and sit down.

Stop the clock the moment that your bottom hits the chair.

WHAT IT MEANS: this is a widely used measure of strength and agility in older age.

a score of ten seconds or less indicates normal mobility, 13-20 seconds means your balance could be impaired and you could be at risk of falls, while 20 seconds-plus may indicate more serious mobility problems.

you should be able to improve your score by practising at every opportunity — get up every time the adverts are on while watching tV for example, says physiotherapist Vicky Johnston.