The short answer: It can flag risk, but it cannot predict your lifespan. In a 2022 study of 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75, people who could not stand on one leg for 10 seconds had about 1.84 times the risk of dying during follow-up, after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index and health conditions. The test is a warning sign worth acting on, not a countdown clock.
What did the one-leg study actually find?
The study most people have heard about was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022. Researchers at an exercise medicine clinic in Rio de Janeiro tested 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75 between 2008 and 2020. About 68% were men.
Each person tried to stand on one leg for 10 seconds. Here is what the researchers reported:
- 20.4% of participants could not complete the 10-second stand.
- Over a median follow-up of 7 years, 7.2% of all participants died.
- Deaths were 4.6% among people who passed the test and 17.5% among people who failed it.
- After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index and other conditions, failing the test was linked with a hazard ratio of 1.84 (95% confidence interval 1.23 to 2.78) for death from any cause.
The authors also found that adding the balance test to standard risk factors improved how well their model predicted death. They suggested it could become part of routine checkups for middle-aged and older adults.
How do you do the 10-second test?
In the study, people placed the front of their free foot on the back of the other lower leg, kept their arms by their sides and looked straight ahead. They had up to three tries on either foot, according to the University of Bristol summary of the study.
If you try it at home, do it next to a counter or a sturdy chair so you can catch yourself. The CDC's clinical balance screen, the 4-Stage Balance Test, uses a similar approach. It moves through four positions and asks the person to hold each for 10 seconds without moving their feet:
- Feet side by side.
- The instep of one foot touching the big toe of the other.
- Tandem stand: one foot directly in front of the other, heel touching toe.
- Standing on one foot.
The CDC says an older adult who cannot hold the tandem stand for at least 10 seconds is at increased risk of falling. Eyes stay open, and no cane or walker is used.
Does failing the test mean you will die sooner?
No. The study shows an association across a group of people. It does not show that poor balance causes early death, and it cannot tell any one person how long they will live.
The authors listed limits of their own work. They did not have data on recent falls or on physical activity, both of which could explain part of the link. The group was also mostly from one clinic in Brazil and was fairly well off, so the numbers may not carry over to everyone.
Most people who failed the test were still alive at the end of follow-up. The 17.5% death figure means about 82% of those who failed survived the median 7 years.
Why would balance be linked to survival?
Standing on one leg draws on many systems at once. It needs leg and hip strength, signals from the inner ear, vision, sensation in the feet, and fast processing in the brain. A problem in any of those can show up as a wobble.
That makes the test a rough summary of overall physical condition. It fits a wider pattern. A 2010 meta-analysis in the BMJ found that people who did worse on grip strength, walking speed, chair rises and standing balance all had higher death rates. For walking speed, the slowest quarter had 2.87 times the mortality risk of the fastest quarter. Grip strength follows the same logic, as covered in our guide to what grip strength predicts about health.
Falls are the other obvious path. The CDC reports that more than 14 million older adults, about 1 in 4, report a fall each year. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injury in adults 65 and older. The age-adjusted fall death rate rose from 64.7 per 100,000 older adults in 2018 to 78.4 in 2024.
Can you improve your balance, and does it help?
Yes, balance responds to training at any age. The strongest evidence is for fall prevention. A 2019 Cochrane review of 108 randomized trials with 23,407 community-dwelling older adults found that exercise reduced the rate of falls by 23%. It also cut the number of people who fell at least once by 15%. Programs that combined balance and functional exercises worked well.
No trial has shown that training yourself to pass a one-leg test will add years to your life. But fewer falls is a real benefit on its own.
The CDC's activity guidelines for adults 65 and older include balance activities alongside at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity and at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening. Its examples are walking heel to toe and standing up from a seated position. Other simple options include:
- Standing on one foot while you brush your teeth, holding the sink if needed.
- Tai chi, which the CDC names as an evidence-based fall-prevention program.
- Leg strength work such as chair stands, step-ups and calf raises.
Balance is one of several fitness markers linked with healthy aging. Aerobic fitness is another; see VO2 max explained for how it is measured.
When should poor balance worry you?
A slow, gradual decline with age is common. Some changes deserve a prompt visit to a doctor:
- Balance that gets worse over weeks or months rather than years.
- Dizziness, spinning, or feeling faint when you stand up.
- Numbness in the feet, new weakness, or trouble walking in a straight line.
- A fall, or a fear of falling that makes you avoid activity.
Sudden loss of balance with face drooping, arm weakness or slurred speech can be a stroke. Call 911. For more on common causes of dizziness and unsteadiness, symptom.md has guides on when a symptom needs attention.
The bottom line
Being unable to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in midlife and later was linked with nearly double the risk of death in a 2022 study. That makes it a useful, free warning sign. It is not a prediction for any one person, and it reflects overall fitness more than balance alone. The practical message is simple: if you wobble, start training balance and strength, and mention it at your next checkup. See our roundup of longevity habits backed by evidence for other steps with good data behind them.
Last updated: September 2026. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Talk with a doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have had falls or dizziness.