Your ability (or inability) to stand on one leg can give more insight into your health. A study has shown that this balance test could be a predictor of overall health outcomes.
As part of this test, a person stands on one leg, looking straight ahead. The other leg is kept behind, with hands by the side. If one can maintain this for 10 seconds, they’ve passed the test.
20.4 percent of the participants couldn’t maintain the stance. Over a period of 7 years, the death rate in this group was 17.5 percent compared to 4.6 percent in those who passed the test.
“We rely on multiple investigations such as blood tests and scans. However, clinical examination can often give valuable clues about a person’s health,” says Dr Sudhir Kumar.
“Not only does it provide insights into one’s risk of falls, but it might also be a broader indicator of overall health and longevity,” the authors noted.
Still, Dr Sudhir stresses that the study, “showed only an association and does not prove cause and effect.” He also iterated that failing the test does not indicate a specific disease.