The Power of Single-Leg Balance: Why It’s Vital for Your Health and Longevity
Essential Points:
Single-leg balance is a powerful predictor of longevity: Research links the inability to balance on one leg for 10 seconds to a higher risk of death from all causes, highlighting the importance of balance for overall health and longevity.
Balance training helps prevent injuries and boosts athletic performance: Strong single-leg balance reduces the risk of falls and injuries, and for athletes, it improves agility, speed, and force generation, leading to better performance.
Improving balance is easy and beneficial: With just 10 minutes a day of simple exercises like single-leg stands and head turns, you can significantly enhance your balance, protect your brain, and slow cognitive decline as you age.
How Improving Single-Leg Balance Can Boost Longevity and Prevent Injury
If I told you that your ability to balance on one leg for just 10 seconds could predict your longevity, you probably wouldn’t believe me. Well, research suggests that it actually might! Failing to hold a single-leg stance for 10 seconds has been linked to a higher risk of death from all causes. (1) Yes, you read that right. Your balance, or lack of it, could be an indicator of your overall health and longevity.
Now, I’m not saying that failing a 10-second balance test means you’re doomed. That would be insane. But if that statistic doesn’t make you think twice about your balance, then it’s time for a deeper look into why this simple skill is more powerful than you think.
You may not realize it, but you rely on single-leg balance in so many aspects of your daily life. Whether you’re slipping into your jeans, walking up a flight of stairs, or engaging in high-level athletic movements, you’re constantly shifting your weight onto one leg. And if your balance isn’t up to par, the risk of falls, injury, or even a decline in cognitive function increases. Not only that, but balance also starts to deteriorate around 50 years old without most of us even noticing. (2)
But don’t worry. By the time we’re done here, you’ll not only understand why your single-leg balance is so important but also have a a few ideas on how to improve it.
What Exactly Is Single-Leg Balance?
In simple terms, single-leg balance is your body’s ability to stay upright and steady when you stand on one foot without relying on any external support. Sounds easy, right?
In reality, your body isn’t just passively hanging out when you balance. In fact, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. Several systems are working together, like a well trained sports team, to help you stay steady. Your:
Eyes (Visual System): This system sends information to your brain about your surroundings via sight.
Somatosensory System: A fancy term for your body’s ability to feel various sensations to know its position in space. Includes touch, pressure, and proprioception.
Vestibular system: Your inner ear’s balance control center, helping keep you upright even when you’re in motion. This system sends information about your heads motion in both rotational and linear directions.
And it’s not just your brain and senses that are involved—your muscles are working overtime too, making tiny adjustments you may not even notice. I call this the three bodily balance systems and if this interests you, dive deeper here.
Why Is Single-Leg Balance So Important?
Balance isn’t just about preventing embarrassing tumbles (although that’s certainly a benefit!). It’s a crucial component of your overall health. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of why single-leg balance matters more than you might think.
1. Balance is key for Longevity
We’ve already touched on this, but its worth repeating. Research shows that individuals who cannot balance on one leg for at least 10 seconds may have a higher risk of death from all causes. (1) While this doesn’t mean that balance issues directly cause death, poor balance can be a warning sign for underlying problems like muscle weakness, reduced sensory feedback from your feet, neurological issues, or poor fitness habits. (3, 4) It’s like your body’s own early warning system, or the knock in your car engine that fortunately hasn’t caused any real issues yet. Don’t ignore it.
2. Injury Prevention
Having good balance reduces your risk of injury, especially from falls. (5, 6) Whether you’re navigating uneven terrain or pivoting quickly during a game, strong single-leg balance helps stabilize your body and prevent mishaps. Even in the everyday sense, balance can save you from a bad ankle sprain at minimum, or catastrophic brain injury at the extremes.
Falls are one of the leading causes of disability in older people, and all of us will be older eventually. (7, 8) It’s important to start working on your balance today.
3. Athletic Performance
If you’re an athlete, single-leg balance is a game-changer. From running to jumping and changing directions, so much of athletic performance depends on your ability to stay balanced on one leg while you generate force. (9, 10) Without good balance, you’re slower, less agile, and more prone to mistakes or injury. Developing the ability to not only balance on one leg, but also perform on one leg, is a must for top-tier athletic performance. If you are spending all of your time weightlifting and doing drills on the field, why not also invest just 10 minutes a day on enhancing your balance to significantly improve your performance?
The Muscles at Play in Single-Leg Balance
Let’s break it down a bit further. What’s happening in your body when you’re trying to balance on one foot?
Your body is relying on four main muscle groups, often referred to as synergies, to keep you stable (11, 12):
Ankle Muscles: Your tibialis anterior (front of your shin) and soleus (calf) are working hard to make sure your foot and ankle don’t roll or buckle.
Knee Muscles: The quadriceps and hamstrings, the big group of muscles on the front of your thigh and back of your thigh respectively, activate to control your knee joint and keep it from wobbling.
Hip and Back Muscles: Your hamstrings and gluteus medius (outer hip muscle) along with your longissimus dorsii (a back muscle) are keeping your hips aligned and helping you maintain posture.
These muscles form a sort of tug-of-war between different parts of your body, each side adjusting constantly to keep you upright. When everything is working together, you stay balanced. But if there’s any weakness or imbalance in these muscle groups, that’s when you might start to sway, or worse, fall. If interested, dive deeper on these muscles here.
Cognitive and Neurological Benefits
Balancing on one leg isn’t just about the physical benefits, it’s also a workout for your brain. Balance training has been shown to improve cognitive function, and cognitive training can do the same for balance function, particularly in older adults. (13, 14, 15) Why? Because maintaining balance requires real-time communication between your brain and your muscles, forcing your brain to stay sharp and active. It ends up being a positive feedback loop that works both the brain and body.
In fact, studies suggest that improving your balance can help slow down age-related cognitive decline. (16, 17) So, when you’re working on balance, you’re giving your brain a much-needed boost too! Given the rising number of people affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s, it’s clear we could all benefit from enhanced brain protection.
How to Improve Your Single-Leg Balance
Here’s the good news: You can improve your balance. The even better news? It’s easy to work into your daily routine, and only takes roughly 10 minutes a day to see huge improvements. (18)
Here are a few simple ways to get started:
1. Start with the Basics
Practice standing on one leg for 30 seconds at a time.
Make sure you’re in a safe environment (near a wall or sturdy chair) in case you lose your balance.
For even more safety, wedge yourself in a corner with the walls behind you and place a chair in front of you. This will keep you protected on all sides.
2. Add Variety to Challenge Your Balance
Close your eyes: Try balancing with your eyes closed to take away your visual cues, forcing your body to rely on proprioception (joint position) and your vestibular system (the movement of your head).
Turn your head: Add head turns while balancing to further mess with your vestibular system and eye sight. Start by slowly turning your head from side to side, or up to down, and see how it affects your stability. Increase the speed for more challenge.
Combine eyes closed and head turns: For the ultimate challenge combine having your eyes closed and performing head turns while balancing on one foot. Just make sure you are in a safe space before attempting.
3. Use Unstable Surfaces
Stand on an unstable surface like a foam pad or a pillow to increase the challenge and reduce the reliability of what your feet are feeling. Your muscles and brain will have to work even harder to keep you balanced. This can imitate unstable surfaces that you may find in natural settings outside of your home or our artificial city surfaces, although is not a necessary step for everyone.
4. Combine with Strength Training
Once you’ve mastered the basics, add weights or kettlebells into the mix. Perform exercises like single-leg deadlifts or lunges to challenge your balance while building strength. After all, good balance is just a foundation we want to build from once we are able.
Remember, balance training is progressive. Start small and work your way up as you feel more comfortable. You will get better with practice. Trust the process.
Simple Practical Programs to Boost Your Balance
Here are two sample programs you can follow that will only take about 10 minutes for a nice warm-up, cool-down, or just simple workout. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your balance to the next level, these should give you a good baseline challenge to build from:
For Beginners:
3 rounds of single-leg balance (30-60 seconds on each side)
2 rounds of head turns (sideways or vertically) while balancing on one foot (10 reps on each side)
For Athletes/Advanced:
2 rounds of balance on an unstable surface like an Airex pad/pillow/wobble board (60 seconds per side)
2 rounds of head turns while balancing on an unstable surface (10-15 reps)
2 rounds of kettlebell “around the world” while balancing on one leg (10 reps)
For a more detailed and comprehensive balance program check out the Beginner to Intermediate Balance Program! This program takes you from unable to balance at all, to a true balance dominator. It’s like having a specialized balance physical therapy training plan in a PDF format.
Final Thoughts
Balancing on one leg might not sound like the most exciting part of your fitness routine, but it’s an essential component of your overall health. In fact, once you’ve mastered the basics, it can actually be the most fun part of your training. Whether you’re an athlete looking to improve your performance or someone who wants to stay injury-free and mentally sharp as you age, balance training is key.
It’s simple, effective, and something you can easily incorporate into your day. Start practicing today, and your future self will thank you. Trust me, you don’t want to take your balance for granted!
If you’re ready to take control of your wellness and find your balance, I encourage you to explore my coaching program philosophy and book a free 15-minute discovery call today. Together, we’ll assess if my program can help you transform your life in just 3-4 months, paving the way for a healthier, more balanced future!
References
Araujo CG, De Souza E Silva CG, Laukkanen JA, et al. Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival in middle-aged and older individuals. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2022;56(17):975-980. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2021-105360
Hall KS, Cohen HJ, Pieper CF, et al. Physical performance across the adult life span: correlates with age and physical activity. The Journals of Gerontology Series A. Published online June 29, 2016:glw120. doi:10.1093/gerona/glw120
Balance problems - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/balance-problems/symptoms-causes/syc-20350474
Balance disorders. NIDCD. Published March 6, 2018. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/balance-disorders
Sherrington C, Fairhall NJ, Wallbank GK, et al. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Library. 2019;2019(1). doi:10.1002/14651858.cd012424.pub2
Papa EV, Dong X, Hassan M. Resistance training for activity limitations in older adults with skeletal muscle function deficits: a systematic review. Clinical Interventions in Aging. 2017;Volume 12:955-961. doi:10.2147/cia.s104674
Appeadu MK, Bordoni B. Falls and fall prevention in older adults. StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. Published June 4, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560761/#:~:text=Falls%20are%20the%20most%20common%20type%20of%20accidents,and%20hospital%20care%20results%20in%20substantial%20financial%20costs.
Facts about falls. Older Adult Fall Prevention. Published May 9, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/falls/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
Yılmaz O, Soylu Y, Erkmen N, Kaplan T, Batalik L. Effects of proprioceptive training on sports performance: a systematic review. BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2024;16(1). doi:10.1186/s13102-024-00936-z
Zemková E, Kováčiková Z. Sport-specific training induced adaptations in postural control and their relationship with athletic performance. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 2023;16. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2022.1007804
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Alizadehsaravi L, Bruijn SM, Muijres W, Koster R a. J, Van Dieën JH. Improvement in gait stability in older adults after ten sessions of standing balance training. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(7):e0242115. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0242115
Dunsky A. The Effect of Balance and Coordination Exercises on Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Mini-Review. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 2019;11. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2019.00318
Li KZH, Bherer L, Mirelman A, Maidan I, Hausdorff JM. Cognitive Involvement in Balance, GAIT and Dual-Tasking in Aging: A Focused review from a Neuroscience of Aging perspective. Frontiers in Neurology. 2018;9. doi:10.3389/fneur.2018.00913
Smith-Ray RL, Hughes SL, Prohaska TR, Little DM, Jurivich DA, Hedeker D. Impact of cognitive training on balance and GAIT in older adults. The Journals of Gerontology Series B. 2013;70(3):357-366. doi:10.1093/geronb/gbt097
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