Mayo Clinic recently published an article on a simpler way to ascertain a clear picture of a persons overall health, this is by the ability to balance on one leg which is a good indicator of how strong bones, muscles and nerves are, which can be a sign of fragility and of adverse health outcomes, risk of infections, decreased recovery time from surgery and more obviously the likely hood of a fall.
Research carried out by the senior author Dr Kenton Kaufman has stated that being able to stand on one leg is a good measure of a persons overall health, as good balance reflects how the bodies systems are all working together. It also shows a larger decline with age than the two other related measures which are Gait (how a person walks) and muscle strength.
Standing on one leg requires good balance which is linked to good brain function, muscle strength and blood flow. Balance requires coordination as the brain needs to interpret signals from Inner ears, eyes, joints and muscles to maintain that balance.
Good balance increases the ability to carry out activities of daily living (ADL) without the fear of falling and greatly improves quality of life as we age.
NOW HERE IS THE SCARY BIT.
The average 50 year old can only stand on one leg for....9 Seconds and the average 80 year old... 3 seconds this is even less when you try to stand on your non dominant leg.
Here is a recording of two of our far from average members easily achieving 30 seconds.
Here are Steve and Sue achieving A clear 30 seconds with hardly a wobble.
This is why in our classes we always including some Standing Balance Work.
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