Can You Stand on One Leg for 10 Seconds?

THE BALANCE CHECK · MOBILITY AND BALANCE

Few fitness tests are as simple as standing on one leg. Yet this quiet ten-second challenge has become one of the most talked-about markers of how well we are aging—and it is one of the easiest to improve.

Balance rarely gets attention until it lets us down: a misjudged curb, a wobble on a ladder, a stumble on a forest path. But the ability to stand steadily on one foot depends on strength, joint control, vision, the inner ear and the nervous system working together, and research suggests it begins to change earlier than many people expect. Here is what the studies show, how to test yourself safely at home and a short routine to keep your balance sharp through your 40s, 50s and beyond.

Why a simple test is getting attention

In 2022 researchers published a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that followed 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75 in Brazil. At the start, each person was asked to stand on one leg for 10 seconds without support. About one in five could not.

The inability to complete the test became much more common with age. According to the University of Eastern Finland’s summary, about 5 percent of people aged 51 to 55 could not do it, rising to 8 percent at 56 to 60, around 18 percent at 61 to 65 and roughly 37 percent at 66 to 70. Over about seven years of follow-up, those who could not complete the test had an 84 percent higher risk of death from any cause, after accounting for age, sex and existing health conditions.

The researchers were careful to note the limits. This was an observational study, so it does not show that poor balance causes earlier death, and the participants may not represent every population. A one-leg stand is best seen not as a verdict but as a useful, free signal—and a prompt to train something that responds well to practice.

Balance changes earlier than you might think

A 2024 Mayo Clinic study in PLOS ONE compared walking, grip and knee strength, and several balance measures in healthy adults aged 50 and older. Of everything measured, the length of time people could stand on one leg showed the steepest decline with age—more than strength or walking patterns. The decline was greater on the non-dominant leg.

Reference values help put your own result in context. In a widely used study of normal single-leg standing times, adults stood with arms crossed for up to 45 seconds; the averages below are the best of three attempts.

Age	Eyes open (average)	Eyes closed (average)
40–49	41.9 seconds	12.7 seconds
50–59	41.2 seconds	8.3 seconds
60–69	32.1 seconds	4.4 seconds

Notice how much faster the eyes-closed times fall. With your eyes shut, your body relies more on the inner ear and the sensors in your feet and joints, which is exactly the system worth training.

How to test yourself safely at home

Stand barefoot or in flat shoes beside a kitchen counter or sturdy chair you can grab if needed, on a firm, uncluttered floor. Have someone with you if you are unsure of your balance.

1. The 10-second check: as in the Brazilian study, lift one foot and rest it against the back of your other lower leg. Keep your arms by your sides and look straight ahead. Try to hold for 10 seconds. You may have up to three attempts on each foot.
2. The timed stand: fold your arms across your chest, lift one foot and time how long you can hold, up to 45 seconds. Stop the clock when your foot touches down, your arms move or your standing foot shifts. Record your best of three attempts on each leg.
3. Eyes closed (optional): repeat the timed stand with your eyes closed only if you are right next to support or have a partner beside you.

Write down the results for both legs and the date. The difference between sides is often as useful as the totals.

What your result means

If you managed 10 seconds comfortably and your eyes-open times are close to the averages for your age, your balance is in good shape and worth maintaining. If you struggled to reach 10 seconds, or one side is much weaker than the other, you have found a clear and very trainable goal.

A home test is not a diagnosis. Balance can be affected by inner-ear problems, vision changes, nerve conditions, some medications, foot pain and old injuries. See a doctor or physiotherapist if you have experienced recent falls or near-falls, dizziness or a spinning sensation, numbness or tingling in your feet, or a sudden change in your balance.

A 10-minute balance routine

Balance improves with regular, specific practice. Physical therapists at Hospital for Special Surgery recommend simple exercises such as single-leg stands and heel-to-toe walking, using a counter for support until you are ready to let go. Work through these levels, spending a week or two at each before moving on. Practice three or four days a week; it fits easily at the end of a strength session or while the kettle boils.

• Level 1 · Tandem stance: one foot directly in front of the other, heel touching toe. Hold 30 seconds, switch feet, repeat three times.
• Level 2 · Single-leg stand: hold 30 seconds on each leg, two or three times, with fingertips resting on the counter at first.
• Level 3 · Add movement: on one leg, slowly turn your head side to side, or reach your free foot to the front, side and back like the hands of a clock.
• Level 4 · Reduce vision: single-leg stands with your eyes closed, always within reach of support.
• Level 5 · Go dynamic: heel-to-toe walking along a line for ten steps, slow step-ups onto a low step with a pause at the top, and, if your joints are comfortable, small hops from foot to foot.

Pairing practice with an existing habit helps it stick. Many people stand on one leg while brushing their teeth—two minutes a day, alternating legs, adds up quickly.

Build the strength that supports balance

Steadiness is not only a skill; it also depends on strong ankles, calves and hips that can react when you start to tip. Include these in your regular strength sessions:

• Calf raises, first on both feet and later on one, for the ankle strength that makes quick corrections
• Side-lying leg raises or banded side steps for the outer hip muscles that keep your pelvis level on one leg
• Split squats, step-ups and single-leg Romanian deadlifts to build strength in single-leg positions

U.S. physical activity guidelines recommend balance training as part of a varied program for older adults; starting in midlife gives you a head start. Retest every four weeks, and use the result to choose your level. For everyday applications, see our guides to feeling steadier on stairs and uneven ground and bending, reaching and moving more freely.