How long should a healthy person be able to stand on one leg? Experts respond
Putting on a sock while standing may seem like a simple everyday movement, but it requires lifting one leg, leaning the body and maintaining balance while the other foot supports the entire weight. Over the years, this action can become more difficult, although there is no specific age at which a person loses this ability.
Trainer, physical therapist and doctor in Physical Activity and Health, Sergio López López, explains that standing on one leg involves much more than balance. Coordination, trunk control and mobility of the hip, ankle and spine are also involved. The gluteus medius and the ankle and foot muscles are especially important to stabilize the supporting leg.
A study by the Mayo Clinic found that the ability to stand on one leg decreases with age in healthy people over 50. From the tests analyzed in the study, only a portion was mentioned in the article, which appears cut off at this point.
