https://www.bmj.com/company/newsroom/inability-to-stand-on-one-leg-for-10-seconds-in-mid-to-later-life-linked-to-near-doubling-in-risk-of-death/

In the study it is clearer: "The inability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in mid to later life is linked to a near doubling in the risk of death from any cause within the next 10 years...."

Anyone else afraid to try?

Haha, FOAS! My pilates teacher gets on a roll once in awhile and scares us all into doing balance exercises. Good eye, Annie.

I never quite understand that. I can understand certain health predictions using statistics collected over time, but on one leg?

I don't know what you're reading that from, so I may be speaking out of turn...

But I think the statistic is the more often that you fall the closer you are to dying.

Either what you read, or what I'm saying could be very far offbase. This is rather what I'm speaking of:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19452127/

It's not the lack of balance per se - it's what the lack of balance is a symptom of - at least that is my interpretation.

And yes Annie, I totally understand your point. It's one of those things that you know what they mean, but they sure didn't explain it well.

I'd blame whomever wrote that - these days, language skills can vary widely among supposed professionals. I often get frustrated by the lack of clarity.

And I often wonder about that calculation too - how does it work?

BTW, I do yoga and practice balancing on one foot a lot. It's getting to be a bit more difficult as I get older.

I hope you share when you figure it out. It's always bothered me as a statistic. I agree with Ally. But seriously, what is a symptom of?

Many neurological disorders mess up balance badly. So many other medical issues cause people to just feel generally "unwell" - and if you don't feel good in general, even that can impact your balance. The lack of balance correlates to other more serious underlying medical issues

Consider that a recent study showed tennis players living about ten years longer than other sporting participants, like runners (the study adjusted for income). Other studies have pointed to grip strength as being positively correlated with living more years. Any one measure like this usually points to a slew of other variables.

I found this interesting article about balance and brain health.

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/01/25/what-can-the-ability-to-balance-reveal-about-brain-health

I say PISH. So I screw up a knee as a young thing so cant? And there is double what risk? Everyone is at risk for dying. No one gets out of this alive.

After reading this at the doctor's office for a wellness exam, I stood up while waiting and tried it and I guess I won't die.

I think it means that you have less than optimal balance and stability, and all the possible complications from falls put you at a higher risk of death.

The validity of this specific study aside, statistically we all have a certain percent chance of dying today, this week, this year, within the next ten years, etc. Double the chances is just twice that. Is there more to this that I'm not getting?

That's totally what I'm wondering food. What does this particular test mean!?

As with any study like this, what isn't clear is causation. Are you unable to balance as part of a syndrome with other chronic illness? Is it a symptom of those living less-healthy lifestyles including a lack of exercise? Is the instability due to treatments for other chronic illnesses such as side effects from medicine or immobility due to chronic pain? Is it a sign of brain health? Overall levels of strength including legs and ankles and feet? Or is it the lack of balance that that leads to earlier death including more frequent falls? The study suggests that instability increases with age. To the extent that ill-health speeds up metabolic aging, is the loss of balance a symptom of that?

According to the study:

"In general, those who failed the test had poorer health: a higher proportion were obese, and/or had heart disease, high blood pressure, and unhealthy blood fat profiles. And type 2 diabetes was 3 times as common in this group: 38% vs around 13%. "

In the article Rob linked, it states the mean age was 80.8 and in the follow up 9 year period, 41.7% died. Maybe I’m not understanding the article, however, in the general population, how many or what percentage of 80yo women would die over the next 9 years? It seems to me that 41% death rate in your 80’s would not be unusual.

I am unable to open Annie’s link, however, I found an article with the same title from another source that referenced the BMJ study. It indicated lack of balance was associated with stroke and those same people also performed poorly on cognitive tests indicating a link to dementia. I’m not clear on the meaning of these statements as correlation does not necessarily equal causation.

OMG......If I am 95....does that mean I might die before I reach 105? What stupid

articles people write. I wonder if any of them have a medical degree? Or, think

that absolutely everyone is the same?

If I remember correctly, the book Being Mortal by Atul Gaeande talked about the correlation between aging and balance and how it plays into one's health - or vice versa. It's been awhile since I read the book.

Is the very idea that someone in their 80's is likely to die startling? I question the 41.7% part.

It may be poorly phrased, but falls due to poor balance can result in death or lead to complications (broken hip, brain injury, etc) that result in death. It may be an attempt to make those of us who are older (I am 71) cognizant of the need to practice balancing exercises every day. I am not sure why this phrasing is a big deal. It involves a bit of critical thinking, but that is a good thing, I think. Not worth the argument, imho.

Does it count if I have don't stand still but instead wave my arms and other leg around like a wasp went down my shirt? If so, I live on.

Indeed, poor balance can be from sarcopenia, or even cognitive or proprioception issues, and lead to serious falls.