Forget palm reading to know what’s inside you, taking the flamingo position may give you more knowledge about your success. In a new study published this week, researchers found evidence that testing balance on one leg could be a reliable sign of aging, a test that may even outperform other commonly used tests.
As we age, all of our bodies become weaker and more susceptible to many diseases. But the level of health does not decline for everyone at the same rate, and there are many things we can do to extend the relatively good health years remaining on our limited clock. In this new research published on Wednesday in the journal “Plus One,” scientists at Mayo Clinic wanted to compare different methods of measuring someone’s health associated with age, in the hope of facilitating tracking of our progress in our golden years.
The study included 40 healthy individuals over the age of 50, half of them under 65. The volunteers underwent several physical tests, including measuring grip strength and walking (the person’s walking and running pattern). They also performed several balance tests, one of which had them try to stand on their uncontrolled leg for 30 seconds.
The researchers found that most measures were well correlated with age, as people age, they tend to have decreased grip strength or knee strength, for example. The exception was walking, which did not seem to be greatly affected by age. The only clear measure related to age was actually the duration in which the person could stand like a flamingo on one leg. And this pattern applies to both men and women.
The researchers found that “These results suggest that the duration of standing on one foot could serve as a reliable and gender-independent measure of both neurological and muscular aging for seniors of both sexes.”
Although we may not think about it most of the time, achieving good balance is key to our health and ability to live independently, especially as we age. Accidental falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in people over 65 years old, and estimates suggest that about 3 million elderly Americans end up in the emergency room each year due to falls.
Kenton Kaufman, the lead author and researcher at Mayo Clinic, said in a statement from Mayo Clinic, “Balance is an important measure because, in addition to muscle strength, it requires inputs from vision, vestibular system, and somatosensory systems.” “Changes in balance are noteworthy. If your balance is poor, you are at risk of falling, whether you are moving or not. Falling poses a serious health risk and has dire consequences.”
Kaufman says that as long as you can stand straight on one leg for 30 seconds, you are fine. But if not or you simply want to maintain your stability, you can improve your balance over time by regularly practicing exercises like standing on one leg (other balance exercises can be seen here). And of course, any type of exercise routine you engage in can improve your health, regardless of age.
“If you don’t use it, you lose it. If you use it, you keep it,” he said. “It’s easy to do. It doesn’t require special equipment, and you can do it every day.
