Before you start
A quick safety check
- Dizziness or sudden loss of balance
- Recent leg surgery or injury
- Unusual weakness or pain when standing
- Stand next to a wall or stable support
- Over 70? Having someone nearby is best
- Barefoot or flat shoes
Step 2 of 3
What's your age group?
The measurement
Tap the dial when you lift, and again when your foot touches down.
Tap to start
Your result
This is a comparison to a research average - not a grade or a diagnosis.
The average is based on Springer 2007 (J Geriatr Phys Ther): group averages by age, eyes open - not pass-fail thresholds. The research test was capped at 45 seconds, so the timer here stops at 45 too.
In younger age groups many people reach the ceiling, so the group average sits near the cap - it’s not a target to aim for.
The research used three trials; here you measure once per leg and the better result is shown, so treat the comparison as approximate. A single measurement is also affected by fatigue, footwear and time of day.
Stand on one leg next to a support, 3 sets of 30 seconds per leg, once a day. To progress, reduce your hold: two hands → one → a fingertip → none.
Want to understand what your result means for you?
This tool is for general guidance only - it isn’t a medical diagnosis. Results are anonymous and never stored.
WHERE TO GO NEXT
The 30-second chair stand test completes the picture - leg strength is the other half of the falls screen.
To the test →Why is balance worth measuring?
Balance is the product of muscles, joints, vision and the vestibular system working together, and it fades gradually with age - usually without you noticing. Balance ability is linked to falls risk, especially at older ages: studies have tied difficulty with single-leg stance to falls, and in particular holding less than about 5 seconds predicted injurious falls in older adults (Vellas 1997; Blodgett 2022). Separately, a 2022 study (Araujo, BJSM) found that inability to complete a 10-second single-leg stance at ages 51-75 was associated with higher all-cause mortality in the following years - a population-level statistical association, not a personal verdict. The good news: balance is trainable and improvable at any age.
Reported single-leg stance averages (eyes open)
| Age group | Reported average |
|---|---|
| 18-39 | ~43 seconds |
| 40-49 | ~40 seconds |
| 50-59 | ~37 seconds |
| 60-69 | ~27 seconds |
| 70-79 | ~15 seconds |
| 80+ | ~6 seconds |
Source: Springer et al., Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 2007. Group averages - not pass-fail thresholds; the research test was capped at 45 seconds, so younger groups average near the ceiling; individual variation is natural.
What if your result is below the average?
First, don’t panic: a single measurement is affected by fatigue, footwear and even time of day. But a consistently low result relative to the average is a good reason to act, because balance training is one of the most effective ways to prevent falls. Start by standing on one leg next to a support; with marked instability, a sudden decline, or previous falls, it’s worth getting checked by a professional.
This tool provides general guidance only - it isn’t a medical diagnosis. The test is anonymous: results are saved only on your device and are never linked to you. Content written and reviewed by Gilad Gordin, licensed physical therapist (B.P.T).