The one-leg balance test is a surprisingly accurate measure of age-related decline, offering insights beyond traditional methods like grip strength and walking speed, a new study finds.

Featured in PLOS ONE, the research demonstrates that for adults older than 50, the duration they can balance on one leg, especially the non-dominant one, decreases with age more rapidly than other physical abilities. This finding could provide a valuable, easy-to-use tool for both healthcare providers and individuals to track aging.

Conducted by the Mayo Clinic alongside other institutions, the study involved 40 healthy adults, split evenly between those younger than 65 and those over. Researchers assessed various physical capabilities, including strength and balance, to explore how these change with age.

Notably, while walking patterns showed little variation, balance abilities on one leg showed a stark decline — about 2.2 seconds a decade for the non-dominant leg and 1.7 seconds for the dominant leg — indicating a strong correlation between single-leg balance and aging.

The practical application of this discovery is significant. Unlike many aging assessments that need specialized equipment, the one-leg standing test is accessible to virtually anyone. It involves simply timing how long one can stand on one leg with eyes open, providing an uncomplicated yet effective method to monitor physical decline.

Additionally, the study uncovers that while older adults usually can still stand on two legs for 30 seconds, they exhibit more body sway, requiring frequent adjustments to maintain balance. This sway becomes even more pronounced when eyes are closed, emphasizing the role of vision in balance maintenance.