Minneapolis Chiropractors Best Practices
Prevent Injury and Pain with Better Balance
A review of:
Araujo CG, de Souza e Silva CG, Laukkanen JA, et al, Successful 10-second one-legged stance performance predicts survival in middle-aged and older individuals. British Journal of Sports Medicine
Reviewed by Dr. John Wertish
Summarized Review of Conclusions
The study was observational and found only an association between balance ability and early death. Researchers evaluated the health status and balance test results of 1,700 people that their ages ranged from 51 to 75, then followed them for seven years. During the study, 123 participants died of various causes. After taking participants’ health history, scientists determined that failing the balance test was associated with an 84% higher risk of dying within the study period, compared with passing the balance test. They found that if patients were unable to stand for 10 seconds on one leg, they increased their chance of premature death.
Quotes from the article
“Balance quickly diminishes after the mid-50s increasing the risk for falls and other adverse health outcomes.”
“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.”
Introduction to the Research
Balance tests have always been associated with injury in the older population. A common injury is to fall and break the femur. This can lead to health complications and premature death. Sports training looks at improving this skill because of injury prevention and stability of joints. A significant input can come from proprioception of the joint which allows us to determine our body position in space. For proprioception to work it is essential our nerves from our joint are moving correctly and communicating back to the brain to fire muscles to stabilize the isolated joint. This is important for the neuromuscular and skeletal system to function correctly.
Research Methodology
This study was an observational study. 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.
Research findings
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.
Research References
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.
Our Message
Our Chiropractors located in St. Louis Park, near the corner of MN-100 S & Lake Rd./Westside Dr., know how to get you out of pain through better movement AND making sure you are getting the proper nutrients. We also teach our patients how to manage their stress for optimal health. When you are looking for a Chiropractor near you, choose one who will not only help with your back pain, neck pain, or headaches but who will also guide you to living a healthier lifestyle so you can stay out of pain. By improving these areas of our lives we can become healthier and prevent injury and pain!