2012Eur J Prev Cardiol
Araújo et al.
2,002 adults aged 51–80
Sit-to-rise scores of 0–3 carried about 5 times the death risk of scores of 8–10 over 6 years. Each extra point meant 21% lower risk.
Find on PubMed ↗Research library · Strength & body
Balance and mobility: moving freely for life
Getting up off the floor, standing on one leg and walking briskly all depend on muscles, joints, eyes, inner ear and brain working together. These simple tests predict lifespan surprisingly well, and they're all trainable.
Good evidenceUpdated Oct 2026 · 3 new studies+84%risk of death for people aged 51–75 who couldn't stand on one leg for 10 secondsAraújo 2022, Br J Sports Med, 1,702 people
−21%death risk for each extra point on the sit-to-rise testAraújo 2012, Eur J Prev Cardiol, 2,002 people
−23%falls in older adults who did balance and strength exerciseSherrington 2019, Cochrane, 108 trials
01
The basics
What balance is made of
Your brain keeps you upright by mixing three streams of information: what your eyes see, what your inner ear senses about head movement, and what sensors in your feet, joints and muscles report about your position. It then fires the right muscles, fast.
All of these fade slowly with age and inactivity, and leg power (strength produced quickly) fades fastest. You often don't notice until you trip and can't catch yourself.
Falls are the leading cause of injury death in adults over 65. But balance responds quickly to practice, often within weeks.
The sit-to-rise test
Sit down on the floor and stand up again without support. Start at 10 and lose a point for each hand, knee or forearm you use.
02
How it works
How your body keeps you upright
1
Eyes
Tell you where the horizon and obstacles are.
2
Inner ear
Fluid-filled canals sense tilt and head movement.
3
Feet & joints
Pressure and stretch sensors report your exact position.
4
Brain → muscles
Combines it all and triggers quick corrections in your ankles, hips and trunk.
03
Measure it
Three tests you can do at home
- One-leg stand: stand barefoot on one leg, other foot resting behind the standing calf, arms by your sides, eyes forward. Can you hold it for 10 seconds? Have someone nearby or stand next to a wall.
- Sit-to-rise test: lower yourself to sit cross-legged on the floor, then stand up. Start from 10 points (5 for sitting, 5 for rising) and lose 1 point for each hand, forearm, knee or side of leg you use for support, and half a point for losing balance.
- Walking speed: time yourself walking 4 metres at your normal pace from a moving start. Divide 4 by the seconds to get metres per second.
Try your number
Slow: higher riskBelow averageHealthyBrisk
0.41.6
For adults over 65 (Studenski 2011). Speeds of about 1 m/s or faster are linked with healthier ageing.
04
What the research says
The key studies
2022Br J Sports Med
Araújo et al.
1,702 adults aged 51–75
About 1 in 5 couldn't stand on one leg for 10 seconds. They had 84% higher risk of death over 7 years, after adjusting for age, sex, weight and illness.
Find on PubMed ↗2011JAMA
Studenski et al.
34,485 adults over 65
Every 0.1 m/s faster walking speed meant 12% lower risk of death. Walking speed alone predicted survival about as well as a model built from age, sex, health conditions and other risk factors.
Find on PubMed ↗2010BMJ
Cooper et al.
Meta-analysis of cohorts
Weaker grip, slower walking, slower chair rises and poorer standing balance all predicted earlier death.
Find on PubMed ↗2019Cochrane Review
Sherrington et al.
108 trials, 23,407 people
Exercise programmes, especially balance and functional training, cut the rate of falls by 23%. Programmes that included tai chi also helped.
Find on PubMed ↗05
New in 2025–26
What the newest research adds
New large trials show that simple, regular strength and balance classes cut falls by about a third, even in rural villages. But not every gentle exercise works: a yoga trial built on held poses actually led to more falls, so the type of training matters.
The new studies, in order
Every study added to this page since January 2025. Green rings are the strongest evidence: large trials or meta-analyses.
A year of balance classes in 128 villages
FAMILY trial, 2025 (JAMA), 2,610 adults aged 60+. Share who fell, and who had a fall that caused injury, over 12 months.
NewAug 2025JAMA
Peng et al. (FAMILY)
2,610 adults aged 60+ in 128 Chinese villages, 12 months
A year of balance and strength exercise led by village doctors cut the share of people who fell from 38.3% to 29.7%, a 33% drop. Falls causing injury fell from 21.6% to 15.2%.
Strong evidenceRead the source ↗
NewOct 2025Lancet Healthy Longevity
Oliveira et al. (SAGE)
700 adults aged 60+, 12 months
Online Iyengar yoga led to about 33% more falls than seated relaxation, though not more injurious falls. People who were already active or felt their balance was good were most at risk, so held poses are no substitute for proper balance training.
Good evidenceRead the source ↗
NewMar 2025J Med Internet Res
Pettersson et al. (Safe Step)
1,628 adults aged 70+, 12 months
A self-guided app of home balance and strength videos cut the chance of falling at least once from 59.6% to 53%. The total number of falls did not drop significantly, so apps help a little but are not a full answer.
Good evidenceRead the source ↗
What this changes for you
Pick training that actually challenges balance and strength: standing on one leg, stepping, heel-to-toe walking, sit-to-stands, ideally in a class. Gentle held poses alone may not protect you, and could even add falls if you're already active.
06
Take action
How to improve it
A few minutes a day is enough. Make it a little harder as it gets easy.
- 1
Daily one-leg stands
While brushing your teeth: 30 seconds each leg. Then try with eyes closed, or on a cushion.
- 2
Practise the floor
Get down to the floor and back up a few times a day, using as little support as you can.
- 3
Strengthen legs and hips
Squats, step-ups, lunges and calf raises twice a week.
- 4
Train power
Stand up from a chair quickly, climb stairs briskly. Speed of muscle response prevents falls.
- 5
Try tai chi or dance
Both train balance, coordination and confidence.
- 6
Check the basics
Eyesight, foot pain, medicines that cause dizziness, and trip hazards at home.
07
Myth or fact
Common myths, checked
✕ MythFalls are just bad luck.
✓ FactMost falls have causes you can change: weak legs, poor balance, eyesight, medicines and home hazards.
✕ MythBalance can't be trained after a certain age.
✓ FactOlder adults improve balance quickly with practice, often in a few weeks.
✕ MythWalking is enough to keep balance.
✓ FactWalking helps, but balance needs specific challenge, like standing on one leg or changing direction.
08
Questions
Frequently asked
What's a good one-leg time?
Under 50, most people can hold 30 seconds or more with eyes open. Over 70, 10 seconds is a reasonable goal.
Is the sit-to-rise test safe?
Do it on a soft surface with something sturdy nearby. Skip it if you have bad knee or hip pain or have been told not to kneel.
Why does walking speed matter?
It's a summary of your heart, lungs, muscles, joints and brain all working together.
09
Test yourself
True, partly true or myth?
Read each claim and pick an answer: the card flips to show the verdict and why. Not sure? Use “Just reveal”.
Card № 01True or myth?
Not being able to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in midlife is linked to higher death risk.
True
Not being able to stand on one leg for 10 seconds in midlife is linked to higher death risk.
Araujo 2022 (BJSM) found people aged 51–75 who failed the test had about 84% higher risk of death over 7 years.
Card № 02True or myth?
Tai chi reduces falls in older adults.
True
Tai chi reduces falls in older adults.
Several trials and meta-analyses show tai chi cuts falls by roughly 20–40%.
Card № 03True or myth?
Balance gets worse with age and nothing can be done.
Myth
Balance gets worse with age and nothing can be done.
Balance training works at any age. Falls drop by about a quarter in exercise trials (Sherrington, Cochrane 2019).
Card № 04True or myth?
The sit-to-rise test (getting down to the floor and up without using hands) predicts survival.
True
The sit-to-rise test (getting down to the floor and up without using hands) predicts survival.
Brito 2014: each point on the 10-point test was linked to about 21% lower risk of death.
Card № 05True or myth?
Stretching every day prevents injury.
Partly true
Stretching every day prevents injury.
Static stretching before exercise does little to prevent injury. A dynamic warm-up and strength work do more.
Card № 06True or myth?
Strong legs and hips are key to good balance.
True
Strong legs and hips are key to good balance.
Balance depends on the strength to correct a wobble, not only on the inner ear and nerves.
Card № 07True or myth?
Closing your eyes makes no difference to balance.
Myth
Closing your eyes makes no difference to balance.
Vision does a lot of the work. Eyes-closed balance drops much faster with age, which is why it's a useful test.
Card № 08True or myth?
Falls are the leading cause of injury death in adults over 65.
True
Falls are the leading cause of injury death in adults over 65.
In many countries falls top the list, which is why balance training counts as a longevity habit.
Card № 09True or myth?
Flexibility is only for yoga fans.
Partly true
Flexibility is only for yoga fans.
You don't need splits, but enough range in hips, ankles and shoulders keeps everyday movements and balance easy.
Card № 10True or myth?
Practising balance on one leg while brushing your teeth is a real training method.
True
Practising balance on one leg while brushing your teeth is a real training method.
Small daily doses add up; progression (eyes closed, soft surface) keeps it challenging.
Nothing here yet. Try another filter.
10
Sources
References and related topics
- Araújo et al. (2012). Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2,002 adults aged 51–80. PubMed ↗
- Araújo et al. (2022). Br J Sports Med. 1,702 adults aged 51–75. PubMed ↗
- Studenski et al. (2011). JAMA. 34,485 adults over 65. PubMed ↗
- Cooper et al. (2010). BMJ. Meta-analysis of cohorts. PubMed ↗
- Sherrington et al. (2019). Cochrane Review. 108 trials, 23,407 people. PubMed ↗
- Peng et al. (FAMILY) (2025). JAMA. 2,610 adults aged 60+ in 128 Chinese villages, 12 months. Source ↗
- Oliveira et al. (SAGE) (2025). Lancet Healthy Longevity. 700 adults aged 60+, 12 months. Source ↗
- Pettersson et al. (Safe Step) (2025). J Med Internet Res. 1,628 adults aged 70+, 12 months. Source ↗