A simple exercise—standing on one leg—can reveal a lot about how we age, according to new research from the Mayo Clinic. “Balance is crucial to every aspect of life and influences participation and well-being,” Anat Lubetzky, an associate professor of physical therapy at New York University, told The Epoch Times in an email. “It helps us navigate stairs, carry groceries, and avoid falls or serious injuries.
” Among 40 participants over 50—all in good health and free from neuromuscular disorders—the time they could maintain a one-legged stance decreased by two seconds per decade. For instance, if someone could balance for 30 seconds in their 50s, they might only manage about 28 seconds in their 60s and around 26 seconds in their 70s. Participants performed several balance exercises, including standing on both legs with eyes open, standing on both legs with eyes closed, and single-leg standing on each leg, each lasting 30 seconds.
In addition to balance, researchers compared other factors, such as walking speed, grip strength, and knee strength. They found that balance and knee strength show significant declines in aging. Dominant grip and knee strength also decreased every decade, with one-legged balance deteriorating fastest.
This decline in balance “can serve as a reliable and gender-independent measure of neuromuscular aging,” the researchers said, often occurring before noticeable changes in other physical abilities, such as muscle strength and walking s.