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Life expectancy has surged from an average of 32 years in 1900 to 71 years in 2021, thanks to better living standards, public health, and medical advances. While researchers have identified habits that increase early mortality, a recent study suggests that a simple balance test—standing on one leg for 10 seconds—may also serve as an indicator of longer life.
Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in June 2022, the study brought together experts from the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Australia. Recognizing that muscle strength and flexibility naturally decline with age, the researchers focused on balance, which often starts to falter in the 50s.
Between 2009 and 2020, they monitored 1,702 participants aged 51 to 75 for an average of seven years, recording their ability to balance on one leg for 10 seconds. Results revealed that only about 5% of those aged 51 to 55 could perform the test, whereas 54% of participants aged 71 to 75 could not. In total, 20.5% failed the test, and among them, 17.5% died during the follow‑up period—compared with just 4.5% deaths among those who passed.
After adjusting for pre‑existing conditions, age, and sex, the researchers concluded that those unable to hold the 10‑second balance had an 84% higher risk of death from any cause within ten years.
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Although the study is observational rather than causal, it underscores the broader link between a healthy lifestyle and physical function. Participants who failed the balance test were more likely to be overweight, have abnormal lipid profiles, heart disease, high blood pressure, and a 38% prevalence of type 2 diabetes—compared with just 13% among those who passed.
Given these stark findings, the researchers propose the 10‑second balance test as a quick, objective tool for clinicians to assess mortality risk in adults over 50. In a University of Bristol press release, lead author Dr. Claudio Gil Araújo of Clinimex Exercise Medicine Clinic, Rio de Janeiro, stated, “The 10‑second balance test provides rapid and objective feedback for patients and health professionals regarding static balance and offers useful information on mortality risk in middle‑aged and older men and women.”
While specific balance‑enhancing exercises are part of Dr. Araújo’s medically supervised program, there is currently no evidence that improving balance directly extends lifespan.
