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Am I fit enough for surgery?

A quick, validated self-test of your everyday fitness. Tick the activities you could do without stopping and we'll estimate your METs — including the question your anesthetist cares about most: can you climb two flights of stairs? This is an educational estimate of your fitness, not a clearance for surgery.

The 30-second question

Can you climb two flights of stairs, or walk up a hill, without stopping for breath? That's roughly the 4-MET mark anesthetists use. The checklist below gives you a fuller estimate.

Could you do each of these without stopping?

Tick every activity you could manage right now. (Duke Activity Status Index)

Optional: 30-second sit-to-stand

A rough, complementary fitness signal (the Senior Fitness Test chair-stand). Sit in a sturdy chair, then stand fully and sit again as many times as you safely can in 30 seconds (arms across your chest). Published age norms start at 60, so under 60 we only give a loose guide. Skip if unsure.

This is an educational estimate, not medical advice or a clearance for surgery — your anesthetist and surgeon decide. Nothing you enter is stored.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Saurabh Shukla, MBBS, DNB Anesthesiology · Last updated June 2026

Frequently asked questions

How fit do I need to be for surgery?

There is no single pass mark, but anesthetists often use a rough functional-capacity threshold of about 4 METs — roughly the effort of climbing two flights of stairs or walking up a hill without stopping. People who comfortably manage that usually tolerate everyday surgery and anesthesia well. If you cannot, it does not mean surgery is off the table, but your team may want extra heart or lung assessment, or some prehab, before the day.

What are METs?

A MET (metabolic equivalent of task) is a way of measuring how much energy an activity uses compared with sitting still, which is 1 MET. Light walking is about 2–3 METs, climbing stairs briskly is around 4 METs, and running or strenuous sport is 8 METs or more. This tool estimates your peak METs from the everyday activities you can manage, using the validated Duke Activity Status Index questionnaire.

Why does climbing two flights of stairs matter?

Climbing two flights of stairs (or walking up a hill) without stopping is the classic bedside benchmark for roughly 4 METs of functional capacity. It is quick, needs no equipment, and is the single question many anesthetists ask, because being unable to do it is linked to a higher chance of heart or breathing problems around surgery. If stairs leave you breathless or chest-tight, tell your surgical team.

Is my information saved?

No. Your answers and your estimated METs are worked out entirely on your own device and nothing is stored or sent anywhere. You can print or save your result as a PDF to share with your surgical or anesthetic team.