The Bio-Marker You're Not Tracking
(but, you should be)
Most people track their heart rate, blood pressure, or cholesterol. But there’s one bio-marker that’s easy to track and could give you crucial insights into your health and longevity: your ability to balance on one leg.
While strength and mobility are often the focus in fitness and aging discussions, balance plays a vital role in understanding overall neuromuscular health. According to recent studies, particularly those involving older adults, your balance—specifically, how long you can stand on one leg—may decline faster than your strength or gait. And this decline could signal a lot more than just losing a step.
Why Balance Matters More Than You Think
Balance is one of the body’s most complex systems, integrating inputs from your visual, vestibular (inner ear), and proprioceptive (body position) systems. It allows us to maintain equilibrium during daily activities and, more importantly, prevents falls—a major cause of injury and loss of independence as we age.
It turns out that standing on one leg is not just a test of coordination; it’s an indicator of how your neuromuscular system—the communication between your brain and muscles—responds to aging. The ability to maintain balance on one leg correlates with muscle strength, coordination, and cognitive function. As you age, this system starts to degrade, and your balance suffers.
The Data
In a cross-sectional study1 examining adults over the age of 50, researchers looked at various factors like gait, balance, and strength. The standout finding? Unipedal stance duration—how long you can stand on one leg—showed the most significant decline with age, even more than muscle strength or walking speed.
In simpler terms: your ability to balance on one leg is more likely to show signs of aging before your legs lose strength or your walk slows down. In fact, balance on the non-dominant leg (the one you don’t favor) was found to decline the fastest.
What This Means for You
If you want a quick and easy way to monitor your body’s aging process, try standing on one leg. Track how long you can maintain your balance. Over time, if you notice a decline, this could be an early sign that your neuromuscular system needs attention.
The great news is that balance can be improved with practice. Activities like yoga, tai chi, or even simple balance drills can help strengthen this system, reducing your risk of falls and improving your overall coordination.
Incorporating Balance Training into Your Routine
Here are a few easy ways to start working on your balance today:
Single-Leg Stands: Simply stand on one leg for as long as you can, and switch sides. For an extra challenge, close your eyes or stand on a soft surface.
Heel-to-Toe Walks: Walk in a straight line, placing one foot directly in front of the other, as if you’re on a tightrope.
Yoga and Tai Chi: Both focus heavily on body awareness, stability, and flexibility—perfect for maintaining and improving balance.
Strength Training: Target the muscles involved in maintaining balance, such as your core, hips, and legs. Squats, lunges, and planks are good for this.
Why Balance Is the Bio-Marker of the Future
Given the complexity of balance and its deep connection to multiple body systems, it’s no surprise that it’s becoming a focal point in longevity research. It’s a simple, accessible way to track age-related decline, and the best part? You don’t need any special equipment or appointments to start.
Incorporating balance checks and exercises into your routine might not just help prevent falls as you age—it could be a key to staying active, independent, and healthy for longer. So, next time you’re thinking about your health metrics, don’t forget to check your balance. It’s the bio-marker you’re not tracking—but probably should.
Age-related changes in gait, balance, and strength parameters: A cross-sectional study - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0310764