Scientists from Exercise Medicine Clinic-CLINIMEX found that the inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in mid-to later life is linked to a near doubling in the risk of death from any cause within the next 10 years.
This simple and safe balance test could be included in routine health checks for older adults.
The research is published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and was conducted by Claudio Gil Araujo et al.
Unlike aerobic fitness and muscle strength and flexibility, balance tends to be reasonably well preserved until the sixth decade of life, when it starts to wane relatively rapidly.
Yet balance assessment isn’t routinely included in health checks of middle-aged and older men and women.
In the study, the team used data from 1,702 participants aged 51-75 (an average of 61) at their first checkup, between February 2009 and December 2020. Around two-thirds (68%) were men.
As part of the checkup, participants were asked to stand on one leg for 10 seconds without any additional support.
More than half (around 54%) of those aged 71-75 were unable to complete the test. In other words, people in this age group were more than 11 times as likely to fail the test as those just 20 years younger.
During an average monitoring period of 7 years, 123 (7%) people died: cancer (32%); cardiovascular disease (30%); respiratory disease (9%); and COVID-19 complications (7%).
The team found the proportion of deaths among those who failed the test was much higher: 17.5% vs. 4.5%, reflecting an absolute difference of just under 13%.
In general, those who failed the test had poorer health: a higher proportion was obese, and/or had heart disease, high blood pressure, and unhealthy blood fat profiles.
And type 2 diabetes was 3 times as common in this group: 38% vs. around 13%.
The team found that an inability to stand unsupported on one leg for 10 seconds was associated with an 84% heightened risk of death from any cause within the next decade.
The researchers conclude that the 10-second balance test provides rapid and objective feedback for the patient and health professionals regarding static balance.
The test adds useful information regarding mortality risk in middle-aged and older men and women.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about factors that can cause muscle weakness in older people, and scientists find a way to reverse high blood sugar and muscle loss.
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