Peer reviewed and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the report also claims that Type 2 diabetes was three times as common in the group who failed the test.
And participants who were unable to stand unsupported on one leg were linked to an 84 per cent increase in risk of death over the next ten years—with the proportion of deaths in those who failed the test sitting at 17.5 per cent compared to 4.5 per cent of those who passed the test.
“Each year an estimated 684,000 individuals die from falls globally, of which over 80 per cent are in low or middle-income countries,” the study said.
“While it is known that good levels of balance are relevant for many daily life activities there is considerable evidence that loss of balance is also detrimental for health and that some exercise interventions may improve balance."
“In our 13 years of clinical experience routinely using the 10-s OLS static balance test in adults with a wide age range and diverse clinical conditions, the test has been remarkably safe, well-received by the participants, and importantly, simple to incorporate in our routine practice as it requires less than one or two minutes to be applied.”
It's time to get balancing, but if you're struggling to do so, a trip to the doctor could be helpful in finding out why.
