Postural sway in middle age predicts fall risk in old age — and can be measured at home

Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022 found that inability to balance on one leg for 10 seconds at midlife was associated with an 84% increased risk of death from any cause over 10 years, independent of all other risk factors. A 2012 study found that postural sway measured in adults in their fifties predicted subsequent fall risk over the following decade with 74% accuracy.

Improving Postural Stability

• Single-leg balance training — the most direct proprioceptive and postural stability stimulus
• Tai chi — the evidence-based gold standard for fall prevention in older adults
• Reactive balance training — training the rapid corrective response, not just static balance
• Eye tracking exercises — visual-vestibular integration training improves balance in adults with vestibular decline
• Barefoot walking on uneven ground — maximises plantar afferent input to balance systems