Arushi Bidhuri
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Written By: Arushi Bidhuri | Published : June 23, 2022 3:11 PM IST
How are your balancing skills? Can you stand straight with one leg up in the air? Turns out, people who can't straighten one leg are at a higher risk of dying in 10 years. A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that the risk of death for middle-aged and older adults who are unable to stay erect for 10 seconds on one leg doubles over the course of the following ten years.
For the study, 12 experiments were carried out by an international team of academics from Finland, Britain, Australia, Brazil, and the United States. The findings of this study, however, are mostly dependent on observation.
The research team studied data of 1,702 people between the ages of 51 and 75 from 2008 to 2020. As per the researchers, all the subjects were healthy at the time of the study. Participants were asked on a flat platform with their elbows extended and their gaze at a 2 m distance. Researchers studied the ability of the participants to complete 10 seconds of OLS (one-legged stance) and they were allowed to do it thrice while maintaining the initial position. The participants could stand on either side and their eyes fixed on the front.
Out of all participants, 21 per cent of them could not pass this test and 123 patients died for one reason or another in 10 years following the study. The research's findings are very fascinating, even though no scientific explanation has yet been discovered.
Maintaining balance is essential because it's a vital skill that we often lose as we get older. The brain, muscles, and a portion of the inner ear are all involved in the complicated ability of balance. The coordination between these three systems might degrade with time if you don't train and maintain balance, making it more difficult for you to stand up straight and keep a good posture. Improving balance also helps prevent falls, build better posture, help you recover from injuries faster and improve coordination. With that said, here's how you can improve your balance with simple balance-strengthening activities:
Caution: Talk to your doctor before practising anything mentioned in the article above.
