If a person is unable to balance their body while standing on one foot, it takes on a new significance: It becomes a reflection of one’s physical well-being.
During the test, the patient needs to stand on one leg, unassisted, with hands on the hips. The time frame starting from the foot leaving and then touching the ground will be recorded.
“There is a significant age-dependent decrease in the ability to stand on one leg with both eyes open & closed. UPST are also not gender specific,” neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar shared.
Dr Kumar said that if an individual experiences difficulty in balancing with open eyes, it often indicates a problem with the vestibular function, linking the brain and the ear.
On the other hand, if a person can stand steadily with eyes open but struggles upon closing them, the issue likely stems from proprioception and compromised sensory nerve fibres.
Proprioception, initiates its pathway from the skin, involving the detection of sensation, joint position, and the transmission of signals through nerve fibres to the spinal cord.