Why balance predicts health
Balance is the product of several systems working together: your brain, nerves, muscles, joints, the vestibular system in your inner ear, and your vision. Because it draws on all of them, how well you balance serves as a rough readout of overall neuromuscular health, which is part of why it carries information about longevity.
The evidence for this became hard to ignore with a 2022 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Researchers followed 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75 for about seven years and found that those who could not complete a 10-second single-leg stance had an 84% higher risk of death from any cause, even after accounting for age, sex, body mass index, and existing health conditions.
Adults aged 51 to 75 who could not hold a 10-second single-leg stance had an 84% higher risk of death over the following decade.
— Araújo et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2022
It is worth being careful about what this means. Balance itself is not the sole cause of longer life; it tends to travel with strength, activity levels, and general health, as Cleveland Clinic notes in discussing the study. Still, a quick balance check gives a useful signal, which is why Different Health includes objective balance testing as part of its movement assessment rather than leaving it to guesswork.
Balance and fall risk
The most immediate reason balance matters is falls. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury death for adults aged 65 and older, causing over 38,000 deaths in 2021, and roughly one in four older adults reports falling each year. In 2021, older-adult falls led to nearly 3 million emergency department visits.
Balance and gait problems are among the modifiable risk factors the CDC identifies, alongside muscle weakness, certain medications, and vision changes. That word, modifiable, is the important one: falls are not an inevitable part of aging, and the risk factors behind them can often be reduced. This is general educational information rather than medical advice, and anyone with a history of falls or a medical condition should work with their own clinician.
How to test your balance
A simple balance test you can try is the single-leg stance. Stand on one foot without holding on, keep your gaze forward, and time how long you can hold it, ideally next to a wall or counter you can grab if needed. The research above used a 10-second version as a health marker in middle-aged and older adults.
Balance tends to hold up reasonably well until around the sixth decade of life, then declines relatively quickly. In the 2022 study data, the share of people who could pass the 10-second test fell steadily from the early 50s into the 70s. A home test like this is a general check rather than a diagnosis, and a more formal fall risk assessment belongs with a professional.
How to improve your balance
Balance is trainable, and it improves with the same principle as any skill: consistent, progressive practice. Johns Hopkins notes that exercises focusing on balance and strength can reduce the risk of falling. Three ingredients do most of the work.
The first is direct balance practice, such as single-leg stands and heel-to-toe walking, which challenge your stability system. The second is lower-body strength, since strong legs give you the power to catch and correct yourself; squats and sit-to-stands build it. The third is movement-based practice that trains reactive balance, and here the evidence is notably strong. Systematic reviews and a large Cochrane review have found that programs like tai chi and the Otago Exercise Program meaningfully reduce falls in older adults.
A sample balance routine
The routine below is a general illustration of these principles, not a personalized program. Start near a stable support, progress only when a movement feels secure, and stop if you feel unsafe.
| Exercise | What it trains | Rough dose |
|---|---|---|
| Single-leg stand (near a counter) | Static balance | 20–30 sec per leg |
| Heel-to-toe (tandem) walk | Dynamic balance | 10–15 steps |
| Sit-to-stand from a chair | Leg strength | 8–12 reps |
| Heel and toe raises | Ankle strength and control | 10–15 reps |
| Weight shifts side to side | Reactive control | 10 per side |
| Tai chi or similar practice | Whole-body reactive balance | 1–2 sessions/week |
Illustrative beginner balance routine applying single-leg, strength, and reactive principles. General example; not personalized medical or training advice.
A practical way to keep it consistent is to attach single-leg stands to a daily habit, like standing on one foot while brushing your teeth. Small, frequent practice tends to beat occasional long sessions, and pairing balance work with strength training gives the most reliable results.
Measuring it precisely
A home test tells you roughly where you stand, but it cannot show why your balance is what it is or which system is contributing to a wobble. That level of detail requires objective measurement.
Different Health's assessment includes balance and stability testing that maps your center of pressure, the point of your body's force against the ground, under single-leg and dual-task conditions, which helps flag fall risk. Combined with its strength, power, and movement testing, this shows not just how well you balance but where the limitation sits. A team of MDs and PhDs then turns those results into a personalized training plan, and you can retest over time to confirm the work is paying off.
Key takeaways
- Balance is a health marker: it reflects how well your brain, nerves, muscles, and senses work together, not just steadiness.
- The longevity link: adults 51–75 who couldn't hold a 10-second single-leg stance had an 84% higher mortality risk in a 2022 study.
- Falls are preventable: the CDC calls falls the leading injury-death cause in those 65+, with balance a modifiable risk factor.
- Train three things: direct balance practice, lower-body strength, and reactive work like tai chi, which reduces falls in trials.
- Consistency wins: short, frequent practice beats occasional long sessions, and it improves at any age.
- Measure to target: objective balance testing shows which system is limiting you, not just how long you can stand.
Frequently asked questions
How can I improve my balance?
Balance improves when you train it directly and consistently. Practice single-leg stands, add lower-body strength work such as squats and sit-to-stands, and include movement-based practices like tai chi that challenge stability. Johns Hopkins notes that balance and strength exercises can reduce the risk of falling. Progress gradually and, if you feel unsteady, hold a support and check with a clinician first.
Why does balance predict longevity?
Balance reflects how well your brain, nerves, muscles, joints, inner ear, and vision work together, so it acts as a readout of overall function. In a 2022 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, middle-aged and older adults who could not hold a 10-second single-leg stance had an 84% higher risk of death over the following decade, even after adjusting for age, sex, weight, and health conditions. Balance is a marker of underlying health as much as a skill.
What is a simple balance test I can do at home?
A common one is the single-leg stance: stand on one foot without holding on, and time how long you can hold it, ideally near a wall or counter for safety. Researchers have used a 10-second version of this test as a marker of health in middle-aged and older adults. Treat it as a general check, not a diagnosis, and see a clinician if you are concerned about your balance or falls.
How often should I do balance exercises?
Most guidance supports practicing balance several times a week, and it fits easily into daily life, such as standing on one leg while brushing your teeth. Consistency matters more than long sessions, since balance responds to regular practice and declines when unused. Pairing balance work with strength training tends to give the best results.
What is a fall risk assessment?
A fall risk assessment evaluates the factors that make a fall more likely, such as balance and gait problems, muscle weakness, vision, and medications. The CDC's STEADI initiative provides tools clinicians use to screen for these risks. More detailed assessments can measure balance objectively, for example by mapping how your center of pressure moves while you stand.
At what age does balance start to decline?
Balance tends to be reasonably well preserved until around the sixth decade of life, then declines relatively quickly, according to the researchers behind the 2022 balance-and-mortality study. In their data, the share of people who could hold a 10-second single-leg stance dropped notably from the early 50s into the 70s. The encouraging part is that balance responds well to training at any age.
References
- Araújo CG, et al. Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival in middle-aged and older individuals. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2022.
- Harvard Health. Can a 10-second balance test predict longevity?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About Older Adult Fall Prevention.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Older Adult Falls Data.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. Fall Prevention: Balance and Strength Exercises for Older Adults.
- Cleveland Clinic. Can the 10-second Balance Test Predict Your Lifespan?