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, according to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Researchers found that people who couldn't stand on one foot were nearly twice as likely to die in the next 10 years. For older adults, being able to balance briefly on one foot may predict how long they'll live.
50 to 59-year-olds should be able to average 37 seconds. 60 to 69-year-olds should be able to average 26.9 seconds. 70 to 79-year-olds should be able to average 18.3 seconds. 80 to 99-year-olds should be able to average 5.6 seconds.
Balance is an incredible feat of coordination
Signals from your eyes play a big role in maintaining your balance, which helps explain why standing on one leg is significantly harder when you close your eyes. If you can reach 10 seconds with your eyes closed, you're doing well.
When we close our eyes our brain receives incomplete signal on balancing and therefore we are unable to walk straight.
The ability to balance on one leg for 20 seconds is a sign of a healthy brain.
Older adults who walk three to four miles a day — 6,000 to 9,000 steps — were found to be 40 to 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those who walk a mile (2,000 steps) a day, according to research published in the journal Circulation.
"Older people can definitely regain good leg strength if they do regular strengthening exercises and increase the intensity of their exercises in a slow and safe way.
Performed with eyes open and hands on the hips. Patient stands on one leg unassisted; time begins when opposite foot leaves the ground; time stops immediately when opposite foot touches the ground and/or when hands leave the hips. If unable to stand for 5 seconds or less client at greater risk of injury from fall.
According to LiveStrong.com, sitting down for long periods of time, “can cause muscle fibers to break down. This is known as muscle atrophy and can make your leg muscles weak over time.” Some easy ways to avoid prolonged sitting and standing are to take a walk or climb stairs.
An important, but often neglected, part of your fitness is your balance. Researchers say that it even provides a clue to how long you may live. Chances are that when you step into the fitness world, it's mainly for better strength, bigger muscles, more speed and aesthetics.
The Balance Test
To explore whether a balance test might reveal insight into a person's risk of death, Araújo and his team asked participants to stand on one leg for 10 seconds without holding onto anything to support themselves.
The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was developed in 1989 by Kathy Berg and is a reliable clinical tool for assessment of functional mobility and gait—especially in ambulatory older adults. The BBS consists of 14 static and dynamic tasks scored from 0 to 56, which assess a variety of functional activities.
How long you have already lived is one of the best predictors of how long you may live. Life expectancy has been increasing for years thanks to growing awareness of personal health maintenance and medical care that keeps on improving. Ever since records have been kept, women have outlived men.
As we age the big muscles in our thighs tend to lose strength (particularly if we spend a lot of time sitting down), which puts us off doing things that require us to get down on the floor in case we can't get back up again.
Combining running and walking with strength training and other forms of aerobic exercise like swimming, elliptical training and cycling can add variety to your workout and can greatly improve your performance. Sports like soccer and basketball are great for improving leg power as well.
Physical activity: Your healthcare provider may recommend progressive resistance-based strength training. This type of exercise can help improve your strength and reverse your muscle loss. Healthy diet: When paired with regular exercise, eating a healthy diet can also help reverse the effects of sarcopenia.
More specifically, for adults 60 and older, the risk of premature death leveled off at about 6,000-8,000 steps per day, meaning that more steps than that provided no additional benefit for longevity. Adults younger than 60 saw the risk of premature death stabilize at about 8,000-10,000 steps per day.
Adults aged 65 and older need: At least 150 minutes a week (for example, 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) of moderate-intensity activity such as brisk walking. Or they need 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity such as hiking, jogging, or running.
Early morning exercise can help your aging loved one stick to his/her goals to stay active and well before daily plans get in the way. A morning exercise routine can help keep your loved one's brain and body healthy with increased mental focus.
The Walking Test
A University of Sydney study found that people who can walk at a fast pace (3 to 4 miles per hour) have a 24 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with those who walk at a slow pace.
“One-leg standing time is a simple measure of postural instability and might be a consequence of the presence of brain abnormalities,” concludes Tabara. “Individuals showing poor balance on one leg should receive increased attention, as this may indicate an increased risk for brain disease and cognitive decline.”
You will improve over time. For the over 70s, there's also evidence to show standing on each leg for one minute three times a day can help improve hip bone mineral density. Stronger hip bone mineral density means if you do fall you are less likely to fracture.