“Just One Thing” - Any evidence for benefits of balancing on one leg?

[BonifaceBonanza]

I wondered about this for a while.
The ability to balance on one leg for a certain period is the clearest predictor there is for all cause future mortality (I think this is a fact).

Sure, I can see that the ability to stay balanced on one leg (requiring unconscious neurological and muscular control) could be a proxy for general physical health ie a correlation.

I’m not convinced (I wish I was!) that training ourselves to have better balance can actually cause an improvement in all cause mortality.
But this is how it’s usually reported, that training in the one leads to benefits in the other.

Anyone got any thought on this? Or been able to dig out some useful scientific studies?

My osteopath recommended this to me and it’s really made my ankles stronger. I can imagine as you get older this is even more important. My Pilates teacher talks a lot about how ankle mobility is really vital to maintain overall mobility

That's really interesting. Where did you read that it is predictor for all cause future mortality?

I can see that improvement in balance would greatly reduce the chance of a bad fall. Bad falls tend to have lots of knock on health effects often leading to a downwards spiral especially in older people. So could have quite a big impact statistically.

Can’t see how improvement in balance (on its own) is going to reduce the chances of a heart attack or cancer etc. Only if it’s part of generally adopting a healthier lifestyle.

For the predictor of mortality there’s quite a bit, I picked out these.

There’s this article
https://amp.theguardian.com/society/2022/jun/20/balancing-on-one-leg-useful-health-test-later-life-research

And this study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35728834/

Here is a summary of the study on which the assumption is based:
https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/inability-to-stand-on-one-leg-for-10-seconds-in-mid-to-later-life-linked-to-near-doubling-in-risk-of-death/

The data is correlational rather than causal, so it doesn't necessarily follow that improving the ability to stand on one leg will increase longevity. However, the hypothesis that as falls are a significant factor in mortality for older adults improving balance will be preventative makes sense.

I thought it was your ability to get up off the floor in which case I am totally fucked since a knee injury and arthritis.

OP, my understanding is that improving your balance (and by default core stability and strength) means you are less likely to fall, as you will regain your balance more easily. Having a fall can lead to complications and death in old age. Lowering the risk of a fall is worthwhile.

I agree improved balance would hopefully reduce risk of falls, but this is only one cause of death in over 50s.
And thank you, yes this gives value to balance practice, but not as much value as it would if it actually caused an overall reduction in all cause.

People who cannot stand on one leg for 10 seconds are found to be almost twice as likely to die within 10 years

In other words, if you can’t stand on one leg for 10 seconds because you’re elderly, physically disabled, obese, etc you’re twice as likely to die in within 10 years. No shit.

Same here, arthritis in both knees (since my early twenties) so it looks like I ought to start planning my funeral 💀

Are you supposed to do the standing on one leg thing with your eyes closed or open?

If it's "all cause mortality " I think it's a causal direction/ causality vs correlation issue

People who can balance have lower overall mortality - because they will tend to be people who do more exercise

But people who take specific focussed action to improve their balance may only reduce their mortality from falls

Interesting. Going to read those articles, thanks for sharing.

Just to add my tuppence worth - balance is also weirdly implicated in ADHD - in ADHD kids balance games have been shown to improve concentration in school. I get that it encourages focus in the moment the kid is trying to balance but the way it carries over into daily life is intriguing.

As PP have said the stand on one leg test will exclude people with obesity or with various disabilities or other health issues.

But again that’s correlation not causation - ie practising standing on one leg is not going to help with these

If there is evidence that improving ability to stand on one leg by itself increases life expectancy then that can surely only be to do with avoiding falls.

Not sure how anyone would get such evidence though. You’d need to compare the health outcomes for two cohorts who were otherwise the same but one lot practised standing on one leg and the other didn’t.

Conclusion: yes there may be a correlation between life expectancy and ability to stand on one leg. Yes improving your ability to stand on one leg may help avoid SOME causes of death ie falls & knock on consequences. But any suggestion that improvement in standing on one leg helps avoid ALL causes of death is nonsense (not least because this would be impossible to test).

Yes and they'll be fitter overall, less obesity etc. but I wonder if there is something neurological too - left/ right brain thing.

The only thing it would be handy for is the Field Sobriety Test in the US. They assess your ability to drive (intoxication) in a traffic stop by asking you to stand with one leg raised for a count of 9 or something.

Saw it on police videos on You Tube honest, no personal experience lol !!

I thought the standing on one leg was a predictor of strength and ability to be able to get out of bed unaided in future. Apparently that really matters.

It's really not precise enough, is it? Perhaps these researchers should tell us WHICH leg gives best results!

It should be both. I understood it was best to start with one minute of standing on each leg.

It is really important to practice- I practice at bus stops, waiting for the kettle to boil, etc, althou I have been told by my physiotherapist to do it with the standing knee slightly bent

Anyone else just jumped up to stand on each leg for 10 seconds? My dog is giving me side eye.

Yes me! A bit wobbly but got bored after 20 seconds on each. Needed some arm waving, so it was a bit Dying Swan. I hope we are not supposed to stand straight?

There is a “ladder of hardness”.

so just standing on one leg
doing it with eyes closed
doing it on a carpet rather than lino
doing it on a carpet with eyes closed
doing it on a bunched up towel
doing it on a wobble board

I do it every day while brushing my teeth. a minute either side and swap. Morning and night.

If you keep your functional ankle mobility as you get older you’re more likely to remain able to walk and be mobile/independent. If you’re able to keep up with daily walks as you get older that will improve/maintain heart health. So I think there are wider benefits than just balance and lowering fall risk.

@CormorantStrikesBack Id like to do something beneficial that’s supported by evidence, is there anything that persuaded you to make this part of your daily routine?