Summary
Balance declines after midlife, increasing the risk of falls and poor health outcomes. This study examined whether the ability to complete a 10-second one-legged stance (10-s OLS) is associated with all-cause mortality and whether it adds prognostic value beyond standard clinical measures. A total of 1,702 adults aged 51–75 years were followed for a median of 7 years. About 20% were unable to complete the 10-s OLS. During follow-up, mortality was significantly higher among those unable to perform the test (17.5%) compared with those who could (4.6%). Survival was markedly worse in individuals failing the test, and after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and comorbidities, inability to complete the 10-s OLS was associated with a higher risk of death (HR 1.84; 95% CI 1.23–2.78). Including the 10-s OLS significantly improved mortality risk prediction beyond traditional risk factors. These findings suggest that the 10-s OLS is an independent predictor of mortality and may be a valuable addition to routine physical examinations in middle-aged and older adults.
PMID: 35728834
DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-105360
Abstract
Objective
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 information beyond ordinary demographic, anthropometric and clinical data.
Methods
Anthropometric, clinical and vital status and 10-s OLS data were assessed in 1702 individuals (68% men) aged 51–75 years between 2008 and 2020. Log-rank and Cox modelling were used to compare survival curves and risk of death according to ability (YES) or inability (NO) to complete the 10-s OLS test.
Results
Overall, 20.4% of the individuals were classified as NO. During a median follow-up of 7 years, 7.2% died, with 4.6% (YES) and 17.5% (NO) on the 10-s OLS. Survival curves were worse for NO 10-s OLS (log-rank test=85.6; p<0.001). In an adjusted model incorporating age, sex, body mass index and comorbidities, the HR of all-cause mortality was higher (1.84 (95% CI: 1.23 to 2.78) (p<0.001)) for NO individuals. Adding 10-s OLS to a model containing established risk factors was associated with significantly improved mortality risk prediction as measured by differences in −2 log likelihood and integrated discrimination improvement.
Conclusions
Within the limitations of uncontrolled variables such as recent history of falls and physical activity, the ability to successfully complete the 10-s OLS is independently associated with all-cause mortality and adds relevant prognostic information beyond age, sex and several other anthropometric and clinical variables. There is potential benefit to including the 10-s OLS as part of routine physical examination in middle-aged and older adults.
Araujo CG, de Souza E Silva CG, Laukkanen JA, Fiatarone Singh M, Kunutsor SK, Myers J, Franca JF, Castro CL. Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival in middle-aged and older individuals. Br J Sports Med. 2022 Sep;56(17):975-980. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-105360. Epub 2022 Jun 21. PMID: 35728834.