The next time you’re standing in the grocery line and are looking for something to help pass the time, consider standing on one foot. If you can stand on one foot and maintain your balance for at least 10 seconds, you may have a better idea of your life expectancy!
Walking and balancing is something that adults can do reasonably well until about our sixth decade of life. At that point, a variety of health issues can complicate our ability to maintain our balance. These complications, from joint injuries to problems like early stage dementia, not only affect our balance, but they can also give us an indication of our total body health. Researchers recently wondered if our ability to maintain balance on one foot could also act an an indicator of our likelihood of living longer, so they put it to the test.
One Footed Balance Test
The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, involved 1,702 individuals between the ages of 51 to 75 and was carried out between 2008 and 2020. The volunteers underwent a physical examination before testing, which included testing for certain conditions like an abnormal gait or underlying health conditions like neurological disorders that impaired a subject’s balance, and these individuals were removed from the study.
For those who passed the physical exam, the task was simple. They were asked to stand on one leg, with the front of the foot of the elevated leg positioned against the lower part of the calf of the leg that remained on the ground. With their legs in position and arms by their side, subjects were then asked to hold this position for a period of 10 seconds.
Not surprisingly, test results fell in line with age. Here’s a look at the test failure rate by age group:
- 51-55: 5%
- 56-60: 8%
- 61-65: 17%
- 66-70: 36%
- 71-75: >50%
So while the fact that balance may become more difficult as we get older should come as no surprise, how these numbers translated to mortality rate were eye opening. According to researchers, the inability to stand unsupported on one leg for 10 seconds increased a person’s risk of death from any cause over the next decade by 84% compared to those who could pass the test.
If you are struggling to pass the balance test, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to die anytime soon, but it should serve as a reminder to focus on your health and to perhaps have a conversation with your primary care physician at your next annual physical. Study authors feel that a balance test at these physicals could be a starting point for investigating certain neurological, metabolic or orthopedic disorders.