Standing on one leg
Your ability to stand on one leg might provide clues to your likelihood of surviving the next 10 years.
It’s no secret that as we age, our ability to balance tends to go downhill unless we work on it.
That can be the result of inner ear issues, known as the vestibular system, but a decrease in our ability to see well, certain illnesses and medical conditions, and other things may be at play.
There’s also the issue of the “if you don’t use it, you lose it” factor.
Lack of balance can lead to falls, which can lead to injury and other health risks.
A recent study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine says that study participants who were able to balance on one leg for just 10 seconds had a greater risk of long-term survival than those who could not. In fact, those who could not balance on one foot for 10 seconds were 84% more likely to die (from all causes) in the next 10 years than those who could.
Tai chi and qigong classes can help you build your balance.
Students in most of my tai chi and qigong classes practice balance exercises, including several that involve standing on one leg for a period of time. Ordinarily, we practice “Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg” and “Hold the Ball” for each leg.
In some classes, we balance on each foot for up to 60 seconds of time.
While that won’t ensure that you have 60 years ahead of you, it does seem to indicate that it’s more likely than not that you have at least 10 years ahead. Isn’t that great news?
“Nothing in life is a given, yet we can choose how to walk along the way.”