A simple test could show how well your body is ageing, according to a new study. While it is impossible to predict how long we will live, and what we will look like as we get older, there are clues that indicate how healthy we could be as we age. Avoiding certain risky health conditions, keeping up a regular exercise routine, and eating well are all factors that could stand you in good stead for the future.
But now scientists say that simply standing on one leg could show how fit we will be as we get older. In fact the research, which was published in PLOS ONE , found that your ability to balance on a single leg could be the most reliable indicator of age-related decline. Scientists said it outperformed traditional measures like grip strength, walking speed, or two-legged balance tests.
They believe this could be a potentially valuable tool for healthcare providers and individuals wanting to monitor their ageing process. As part of the study, researchers at the Mayo Clinic and several other institutions carried out a movement analysis on 40 healthy adults. Find out about the symptoms you need to watch out for and get health advice with our free health newsletter from the Daily Express The participants were divided equally between those under and over 65 years-old.
They underwent various tests measuring their strength, balance, and walking patterns to understand how these abilities change as we age. While walking patterns remained relatively stable across age groups, other mea.
