The inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in later life is associated with almost doubling the risk of death from any cause over the next decade, according to a new study.
A simple balance test may be useful for inclusion in routine physical examinations for middle-aged and elderly people, according to a study published Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
While aging leads to a deterioration in physical fitness, muscle strength and flexibility, balance tends to be relatively well maintained until a person is in their 50s, when they begin to decline relatively quickly, the study notes. Previous research has linked the inability to stand on one leg to a higher risk of falling and cognitive decline.
The study included 1,702 people between the ages of 51 and 75 living in Brazil who were asked to balance without one leg support during the initial inspection. The researchers told participants to place the front of the free foot behind the upright leg, keeping their arms at their sides and their eyes straight ahead. Up to three trials with each leg are allowed.
The ability to balance one leg is important for older people for a number of reasons and also reflects broader levels of fitness and health, said study author Dr. Claudio Gil Araujo of the Clinic of Medicine – CLINIMEX – Rio de Janeiro , Brazil .
“We regularly need … a one-legged position to get out of a car, to climb or descend a step or a staircase, and so on. “Not having that ability, or being afraid to do it, is probably due to a loss of autonomy and, as a result, less exercise and the snowball starts,” he explained.
BALANCE AND LONGEVITY
The participants in the study had an average age of 61 and two thirds of them were men. About one in five people fails to balance on one leg for 10 seconds during the initial examination.
The researchers observed the participants after the initial examination for a period of seven years, during which 123 – 7% of the subjects died. The share of deaths among those who failed the test (17.5%) is significantly higher than the deaths among those who managed to balance in 10 seconds (4.5%).
The study found that those who could not complete the balance test had an 84% higher risk of dying from any cause, and this link remained even when other factors – including age, gender, BMI and pre-existing conditions or health risks such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes were considered.
However, the researchers were unable to include other variables in their analysis, such as a recent history of falls, a pattern of physical activity, exercise or sports practices, diet, smoking, and the use of drugs that can upset balance.
The study is observational and does not reveal cause and effect. The study does not look at any possible biological mechanisms that could explain the link between poor balance and longevity.
Dr Navid Satar, a professor of metabolic medicine at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences at the University of Glasgow, said the study was interesting but not definitive.
“Because standing on one leg requires good balance in terms of brain function, good muscle strength and good blood flow, it is likely to integrate muscular, vascular and brain systems, so it is a global test for future mortality risk – albeit a rough one.” said Satar, who was not involved in the study.
“If someone can’t do those 10 seconds and is worried, they have to think about their own health risks,” he said.
“They can try to make positive lifestyle changes, such as walking more, eating less, if they realize they can do better – most underestimate the importance of lifestyle for health,” he said. he. “But they could also consult their doctor if, for example, they did not have measured risk factors for cardiovascular disease or other chronic conditions, such as diabetes.
IMPROVING BALANCE
In general, those who failed the test had poorer health and included a higher proportion of people with obesity and / or heart disease, high blood pressure and unhealthy blood fat profiles, according to the study. Type 2 diabetes is also more common among those who fail the test.
The study took place between 2009 and 2020 and was part of a wider research project that began in 1994.
The inability to complete the balance test increases with age, more or less doubling over the next five-year intervals from the age range of 51 to 55 onwards. More than half (about 54 percent) of study participants between the ages of 71 and 75 failed to complete the test, compared with five percent in the lowest age group who failed to do so.
There were no clear trends in deaths or differences in the causes of death between those who managed to complete the test and those who were unable to do so.
Araujo said the balance could be significantly improved through special training, and this is something he is working on with patients participating in an exercise program under medical supervision. However, he said he did not yet have data to assess whether improving the balance had affected longevity.
If you want to test your own ability to balance on one leg for 10 seconds, Araujo advises that it is best to stand near a wall or table or other support person.
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