
07/17/2025
Can You Stand on One Leg for 10 Seconds? It Might Predict How Long You Live.
Sounds simple, right? But a major study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that people between 51 and 75 years old who couldn’t balance on one leg for 10 seconds were twice as likely to die in the next 7 years compared to those who could.
That’s a pretty big deal for such a quick and easy test.
What the Study Found:
1,700 people were tested over 7 years
Those who failed the 10-second balance test had a 17.5% chance of dying
Those who passed only had a 4.6% chance
Even after factoring in things like age and health issues, failing the test still meant 84% higher risk of dying
Here’s the link to the study:
https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/17/975
So Why Does Balance Matter So Much?
Balance isn’t just about not falling—it shows how well your brain, nerves, and muscles are working together. Poor balance could be a sign of deeper issues like:
Weak muscles
Poor posture
Nerve problems
Early signs of chronic disease
And here’s where your posture and spine come in…
The Posture Connection
If your posture is off—especially from the side (what we call sagittal balance)—it throws off your center of gravity. Your body has to work harder to stay upright, and over time, this affects your balance, coordination, and even breathing.
That’s why we check your spinal alignment during every chiropractic exam. Fixing posture and spinal stress can improve balance, restore nerve communication, and help your body work better overall.
Want to Know Where You Stand?
At Knoxville Chiropractic Solutions, we’re offering a Posture & Balance Checkup where we:
Do the 10-second balance test
Check your posture and spinal alignment
Help you understand how to improve both
Balance now = better health later.
Let us help you build a stronger foundation—so you can stay active, independent, and healthy for years to come.
Objectives Balance quickly diminishes after the mid-50s increasing the risk for falls and other adverse health outcomes. Our aim was to assess whether the ability to complete a 10- s one-legged stance (10-second OLS) is associated with all-cause mortality and whether it adds relevant prognostic in...