4 benefits of training to stand on one leg and what it means to your health

Fitness benefits of standing on one leg: This seemingly simple exercise can indicate how healthy you are and how well you’re ageing (Image: Pexels)

• Standing on one leg boosts muscle strength, memory, and brain health
• Balancing on one leg lowers risk of falls and premature death in older adults
• One-leg balance test is a strong predictor of overall health risk

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It is hard not to notice that standing on one leg becomes more difficult with age, but training yourself to do so is essential because of the surprising number of health benefits it offers. These include better muscle strength, sharper memory, and improved brain health.

While balancing on one leg when you’re young isn’t challenging, it gets tougher once you hit 50. This seemingly simple exercise can indicate how healthy you are and how well you’re ageing. For those who may not know, it can reveal a lot about your risk of falls, overall strength, and memory function.

Benefits on standing on one leg

Here are all the fitness benefits of standing on one leg for some time daily

Strengthens various muscle groups

The loss of muscle tissue is a natural phenomenon, which occurs due to ageing, also known as sarcopenia. After the age of 30, muscle mass begins to decrease. In fact, studies suggest that by their 80s, nearly half of all adults may be affected by clinical sarcopenia. This is linked to impaired blood sugar controls and weakened immunity.  It impacts your ability to balance yourself on one leg. It is not the same for people who are trained in it, as their leg and hip muscles are much stronger.

Better brain health

You’d be surprised to know that balancing on one leg can go beyond muscle strength and flexibility and benefit your brain in multiple ways. This is because it stimulates the cerebellum, which coordinates information from your eyes, inner ear, and nerves. These systems decline with age. Thus, your ability to balance can determine your brain health. Training to stand on one leg can benefit your brain function significantly.

Reduces risk of falls

While it is normal for brain shrinkage to happen as we get older, its rapid pace can significantly hamper your physical ability and increase the risk of falling. Most falls are caused by sudden loss of balance, which lead to unanticipated injuries. This often affects those in their 60s.

Lowers risk of premature death

When you train to balance on one-leg, you reduce your chances of premature death. It also determines your short-term risk of early death. According to a 2022 study, middle-aged and older adults who couldn’t stand on one leg for 10 seconds had 84 percent more chances of dying from any cause within the next seven years. Another study of 2,760 adults in their 50s compared grip strength, sit-to-stand ability, and the ability to stand on one leg with eyes closed. The one-leg balance test was the strongest predictor of health risk: over 13 years, people who could stand for 2 seconds or less were three times more likely to die than those who could balance for 10 seconds or more.

Disclaimer: This article, including health and fitness advice, only provides generic information. Don’t treat it as a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist for specific health diagnosis.