Standing on One Leg: A Simple Sign of Good Health
- , by SANUSq Research team
- 8 min reading time
Can you stand on one leg for ten seconds? It sounds trivial — but this simple test turns out to be a surprisingly good window into your overall health.
Why balance is a health marker
Balance feels automatic, but it's actually the product of several body systems working together in real time: your inner ear, your vision, the position sensors in your muscles and joints, and the brain and nervous system that integrate them all, plus the muscle strength to act on the result. Because so much has to work well at once, the ability to balance is a neat, whole-body indicator of how those systems are holding up. Unlike aerobic fitness or strength, balance tends to stay fairly stable until around the sixth decade of life, after which it can decline relatively quickly — which is exactly why it becomes such a useful signal in middle and later life.
In a study of middle-aged and older adults, the inability to complete a 10-second one-legged stance was associated with a substantially higher risk of death from any cause over the following decade — a near doubling of risk — even after accounting for age, sex and underlying conditions (Araujo et al., 2022).
The researchers were careful to note this is an observational finding that can't prove cause and effect — poor balance is more likely a marker of underlying decline than a direct cause of it. But as a quick, free health check, it's remarkably informative.
The falls connection
There's also a very direct, practical reason balance matters: falls. Falls are one of the leading causes of injury and loss of independence in older adults, and poor balance is a major risk factor. A fall — and especially a broken hip — can be a turning point in an older person's health and autonomy. So maintaining good balance isn't just about a test score; it's about staying on your feet, staying independent, and avoiding the cascade of problems that can follow a serious fall.
Try it yourself — safely
You can try the standing on one leg test at home, but do it safely: stand near a wall or sturdy surface you can grab, and ideally have someone nearby. Stand on one leg, rest the top of your free foot lightly against the standing leg, let your arms hang, and see if you can hold it for 10 seconds without support. If that's easy, it's a reassuring sign; if it's a struggle, don't be alarmed — balance is one of the most trainable abilities there is, and improvement usually comes quickly with practice.
Why balance declines
Understanding what is behind a decline makes it easier to know what to do about it. Vision is a bigger contributor than most people realise, which is why balance often feels noticeably worse in poor light or with an out-of-date prescription; multifocal lenses can also make judging steps and kerbs harder. The vestibular system in the inner ear is another, and it is affected by a range of common and often treatable conditions. Proprioception, the sense of where your limbs are, can be blunted by nerve problems, including the neuropathy associated with diabetes.
Medication is a factor that often goes unexamined. Sedatives, some blood-pressure drugs, and anything causing drowsiness or lightheadedness on standing can affect stability, and the effect grows as the number of medicines increases. That is worth raising at a medication review rather than accepting as inevitable ageing. And plain muscle weakness underlies a good deal of it, which is the most reversible cause of all.
How to improve balance at any age
The encouraging news is that balance responds fast to training, at any age. Simple daily practice — standing on one leg while brushing your teeth, heel-to-toe walking, gentle standing exercises — builds it noticeably within weeks. Activities like tai chi, yoga and dancing are excellent because they challenge balance, strength and coordination together, and tai chi in particular has strong evidence for reducing falls in older adults. Strength work matters too, since strong legs and core are what balance relies on. The balance exercises for elderly adults used in falls-prevention classes are mostly versions of these same movements, slowed down and done with a chair or worktop within reach. And because balance is part of the bigger picture of staying active and capable with age, it fits naturally alongside general activity and looking after your bones.
Large analyses of physical activity show that being active is associated with substantially lower mortality, and staying active is central to preserving strength, mobility and independence with age (Arem et al., 2015).
We look at the wider picture in staying healthy as you age and at bone health in the best supplements for your bones.
What your result means — and what it doesn't
A word of perspective, so nobody reads too much into a wobble. Struggling with the test on a given day doesn't mean something is wrong — tiredness, an inner-ear niggle, footwear, even anxiety about the test can all affect it, and a single attempt isn't a diagnosis. Equally, sailing through it isn't a guarantee of health. The value of the test is as a simple prompt: if balance is clearly declining, that's a useful nudge to build some balance and strength work into your week, and to mention it to your doctor if it's paired with dizziness, frequent stumbles or falls. Think of it the way you might think of being a little out of breath on the stairs — not a verdict, but helpful, honest feedback from your body about where a bit of attention would pay off.
Frequently asked questions
What does standing on one leg tell you about your health?
Balance draws on the inner ear, vision, muscle and joint sensors, the nervous system and muscle strength all working together, so it's a whole-body health marker. Studies link the inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in later life with higher mortality risk, though as a marker rather than a direct cause.
How long should I be able to stand on one leg?
It varies with age, but being able to hold a 10-second one-legged stance in middle and later life is a reassuring sign. Younger and fitter people can typically hold it much longer. If 10 seconds is a struggle, balance training usually improves it quickly.
Can I improve my balance?
Yes, and often quickly. Balance is highly trainable at any age. Daily one-leg practice, heel-to-toe walking, and activities like tai chi, yoga and dancing all help, as does leg and core strength work. Improvements typically show within a few weeks.
Why does balance matter as we age?
Good balance helps prevent falls, which are a leading cause of injury and loss of independence in older adults. Maintaining balance helps you stay mobile, independent and safe, and avoid the serious consequences that can follow a bad fall.
Is the one-leg test safe to try?
Yes, if you take precautions: stand near a wall or sturdy surface you can grab, and ideally have someone nearby. It's a quick, free check — but if you have significant balance problems or a medical condition, it's worth discussing balance and fall prevention with your doctor.
References
- Araujo CG, de Souza E Silva CG, Laukkanen JA, et al. Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival in middle-aged and older individuals. Br J Sports Med. 2022;56(17):975–980. PMID 35728834
- Arem H, Moore SC, Patel A, et al. Leisure time physical activity and mortality: a detailed pooled analysis of the dose-response relationship. JAMA Intern Med. 2015;175(6):959–67. PMID 25844730
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The team at SANUSq.
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The health information in this article is provided for educational purposes only. Consult your healthcare professional before making any medical decisions.
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