Simple one-legged balancing test determines your biological age – so how old are YOU really?
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic found the amount of time you are able to balance on one foot indicates how strong your bones, muscles and nerves are, which are the signs of frailty.
Being frail makes people more vulnerable to health problems because it reduces the body’s ability to cope with stressors and recover from falls and illnesses.
The average 50 year old was able to balance for roughly nine seconds, whereas an 80 year old is only able to manage three seconds.
As you might know, gentle reader, I’ve been studying martial arts for a decade or so (what? already?), and before each class begins, I stand on the mat and work on my balance by lifting one leg and holding or going performing a series of kicks without dropping my kicking leg. I’ve even recently started closing my eyes, spinning, and hopping foot to foot while changing directions of the spins.
So, yeah, I guess it makes sense that I would do better than average on this particular test.
For all the good that will do me in the real world. Apparently, the prognosis is that I will live until I die.