2012Eur J Prev Cardiol
Araújo et al.
2,002 adults aged 51–80
Sit-to-rise scores of 0–3 carried about 5 times the death risk of scores of 8–10 over 6 years. Each extra point meant 21% lower risk.
Find on PubMed ↗Research library · Strength & body
Balance and mobility: moving freely for life
Getting up off the floor, standing on one leg and walking briskly all depend on muscles, joints, eyes, inner ear and brain working together. These simple tests predict lifespan surprisingly well, and they're all trainable.
Good evidence+84%risk of death for people aged 51–75 who couldn't stand on one leg for 10 secondsAraújo 2022, Br J Sports Med, 1,702 people
−21%death risk for each extra point on the sit-to-rise testAraújo 2012, Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2,002 people
−23%falls in older adults who did balance and strength exerciseSherrington 2019, Cochrane, 108 trials
01
The basics
What balance is made of
Your brain keeps you upright by mixing three streams of information: what your eyes see, what your inner ear senses about head movement, and what sensors in your feet, joints and muscles report about your position. It then fires the right muscles, fast.
All of these fade slowly with age and inactivity, and leg power (strength produced quickly) fades fastest. You often don't notice until you trip and can't catch yourself.
Falls are the leading cause of injury death in adults over 65. But balance responds quickly to practice, often within weeks.
The sit-to-rise test
Sit down on the floor and stand up again without support. Start at 10 and lose a point for each hand, knee or forearm you use.
02
How it works
How your body keeps you upright
1
Eyes
Tell you where the horizon and obstacles are.
2
Inner ear
Fluid-filled canals sense tilt and head movement.
3
Feet & joints
Pressure and stretch sensors report your exact position.
4
Brain → muscles
Combines it all and triggers quick corrections in your ankles, hips and trunk.
03
Measure it
Three tests you can do at home
- One-leg stand: stand barefoot on one leg, other foot resting behind the standing calf, arms by your sides, eyes forward. Can you hold it for 10 seconds? Have someone nearby or stand next to a wall.
- Sit-to-rise test: lower yourself to sit cross-legged on the floor, then stand up. Start from 10 points (5 for sitting, 5 for rising) and lose 1 point for each hand, forearm, knee or side of leg you use for support, and half a point for losing balance.
- Walking speed: time yourself walking 4 metres at your normal pace from a moving start. Divide 4 by the seconds to get metres per second.
Try your number
Slow: higher riskBelow averageHealthyBrisk
0.41.6
For adults over 65 (Studenski 2011). Speeds of about 1 m/s or faster are linked with healthier ageing.
04
What the research says
The key studies
2022Br J Sports Med
Araújo et al.
1,702 adults aged 51–75
About 1 in 5 couldn't stand on one leg for 10 seconds. They had 84% higher risk of death over 7 years, after adjusting for age, sex, weight and illness.
Find on PubMed ↗2011JAMA
Studenski et al.
34,485 adults over 65
Every 0.1 m/s faster walking speed meant 12% lower risk of death. Walking speed alone predicted survival about as well as a model built from age, sex, health conditions and other risk factors.
Find on PubMed ↗2010BMJ
Cooper et al.
Meta-analysis of cohorts
Weaker grip, slower walking, slower chair rises and poorer standing balance all predicted earlier death.
Find on PubMed ↗2019Cochrane Review
Sherrington et al.
108 trials, 23,407 people
Exercise programmes, especially balance and functional training, cut the rate of falls by 23%. Programmes that included tai chi also helped.
Find on PubMed ↗05
Take action
How to improve it
A few minutes a day is enough. Make it a little harder as it gets easy.
- 1
Daily one-leg stands
While brushing your teeth: 30 seconds each leg. Then try with eyes closed, or on a cushion.
- 2
Practise the floor
Get down to the floor and back up a few times a day, using as little support as you can.
- 3
Strengthen legs and hips
Squats, step-ups, lunges and calf raises twice a week.
- 4
Train power
Stand up from a chair quickly, climb stairs briskly. Speed of muscle response prevents falls.
- 5
Try tai chi or dance
Both train balance, coordination and confidence.
- 6
Check the basics
Eyesight, foot pain, medicines that cause dizziness, and trip hazards at home.
06
Myth or fact
Common myths, checked
✕ MythFalls are just bad luck.
✓ FactMost falls have causes you can change: weak legs, poor balance, eyesight, medicines and home hazards.
✕ MythBalance can't be trained after a certain age.
✓ FactOlder adults improve balance quickly with practice, often in a few weeks.
✕ MythWalking is enough to keep balance.
✓ FactWalking helps, but balance needs specific challenge, like standing on one leg or changing direction.
07
Questions
Frequently asked
What's a good one-leg time?
Under 50, most people can hold 30 seconds or more with eyes open. Over 70, 10 seconds is a reasonable goal.
Is the sit-to-rise test safe?
Do it on a soft surface with something sturdy nearby. Skip it if you have bad knee or hip pain or have been told not to kneel.
Why does walking speed matter?
It's a summary of your heart, lungs, muscles, joints and brain all working together.
08
Sources
References and related topics
- Araújo et al. (2012). Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2,002 adults aged 51–80. PubMed ↗
- Araújo et al. (2022). Br J Sports Med. 1,702 adults aged 51–75. PubMed ↗
- Studenski et al. (2011). JAMA. 34,485 adults over 65. PubMed ↗
- Cooper et al. (2010). BMJ. Meta-analysis of cohorts. PubMed ↗
- Sherrington et al. (2019). Cochrane Review. 108 trials, 23,407 people. PubMed ↗