Best of 3 tries, up to 45 seconds
Barefoot, arms crossed, the raised foot near your standing ankle. The norms stopped every try at 45 seconds.
Source 1
Fitness test
Single-leg balance test: how long you should stand on one leg
Stand barefoot next to a kitchen counter, cross your arms, lift one foot so it rests near your other ankle, and time how long you can hold it, up to 45 seconds. Take the best of three tries and enter it with your age: the scorer compares it with 549 healthy adults aged 18 to 99, and from 18 to 79 says whether it's within the usual range for your age. Balance falls with age, so the comparison is always with people your age. If you've fallen recently or feel unsteady, use the 4-stage version from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) instead, with someone beside you.
Score your balance test
Choose "One leg" and enter your age and your best of 3 tries with your eyes open; once that's 30 seconds or more, you can add your best with your eyes closed. If you're unsteady, choose the 4-stage test and pick the hardest position you held for 10 seconds.
Your best time, eyes open
25seconds
Healthy adults aged 60 to 69 averaged 32 seconds. Yours is within the usual range for your age or above it (16 seconds or more).
These averages come from 549 healthy adults at one US military hospital, tested barefoot with arms crossed, best of 3 tries, stopping at 45 seconds. Shoes, arm position and the number of tries change the time. Your time varies a lot from try to try; in one study the smallest real change was 24 seconds, so look at the trend over months.
How to do the single-leg balance test
You need bare feet, a non-slip floor, a kitchen counter or the corner of a room within reach, a chair behind you, and a timer; a helper makes the timing easier.
- Stand barefoot on a non-slip floor within reach of a kitchen counter, or in the corner of a room, with a chair behind you.
- Cross your arms over your chest, and look at a spot on the wall at eye level in front of you.
- Lift one foot so it's near, but not touching, the ankle of your standing leg. Start the timer as the foot leaves the floor.
- Stop the timer when your arms uncross, your raised foot touches down or moves towards or away from your standing leg, your standing foot shifts, or 45 seconds pass.
- If you wobble and grab the counter, that try ends there.
- Do 3 tries and keep the best. Use the leg you prefer, and the same leg each time you test.
- Try it with your eyes closed only once standing with your eyes open is easy, with the counter right beside you.
Loading the 3D figure…
The movement on the figure: Single-leg stand
The short version
Balance falls with age
Healthy adults' best time with eyes open averaged about 45 seconds under 40, 32 in their 60s, 22 in their 70s and 9 from 80, so compare yourself with your age group.
Source 1
One try varies a lot
In older adults, a time had to change by about 24 seconds before the change was clearly real. Take the best of 3, and watch the trend over months.
Source 2
The 10-second link with survival is an association
In 1,702 people aged 51 to 75, those who couldn't stand 10 seconds on one leg were more likely to die over about 7 years. No trial shows that practising it adds years.
Source 3
If you're unsteady, use the 4-stage test
Feet side by side, then half a step, then heel to toe, then one foot, holding each for 10 seconds with someone beside you.
Source 4
Practice helps
Balance and functional exercise cut the rate of falls by 24% in trials. The NHS one-leg stand is 3 holds of 5 to 10 seconds on each side, with your fingertips on a wall.
Norms by age
Seconds, best of 3 tries, each stopped at 45. The scorer shows the averages to the whole second, and the usual range from 18 to 79.
Eyes open (Springer 2007)
Average and standard deviation (SD) for everyone in each age group; men and women didn't differ significantly:
- 18 to 39: 44.7 seconds (SD 3.1)
- 40 to 49: 41.9 seconds (SD 9.9)
- 50 to 59: 41.2 seconds (SD 10.2)
- 60 to 69: 32.1 seconds (SD 16.2)
- 70 to 79: 21.5 seconds (SD 17.3)
- 80 to 99: 9.4 seconds (SD 12.8)
Source 1
Eyes closed
Much harder at every age, so the scorer shows only the average for your age group:
- 18 to 39: 15.2 seconds (SD 13.3)
- 40 to 49: 12.7 seconds (SD 12.9)
- 50 to 59: 8.3 seconds (SD 8.4)
- 60 to 69: 4.4 seconds (SD 5.1)
- 70 to 79: 3.1 seconds (SD 4.5)
- 80 to 99: 1.9 seconds (SD 1.0)
Source 1
Who the norms come from
549 healthy adults aged 18 to 99 (258 women, 291 men), volunteers at a US military medical centre in 2004, many of them patients or their family members. People with known balance problems, nerve damage in the feet, or leg or back problems needing treatment were left out. The scorer uses this table because it's a large set of norms by age, with eyes open and closed, from a method published in full.
Source 1
The usual range for your age (our arithmetic)
The paper labels the spread "SE" (standard error), but a standard error that large is impossible on a test that stops at 45 seconds, so the values must be SDs (our reading). The authors say a score 1 to 2 SD below the average "may indicate a possible balance impairment" worth a closer look, alongside the rest of an examination. The scorer's line is 1 SD below the average, with eyes open; below it is "below the usual range for your age", and at or above it is "within the usual range or above". Times are in whole seconds, so below the range means:
- 18 to 39: under 42 seconds (the line is 41.6)
- 40 to 49: under 32 seconds (32.0)
- 50 to 59: under 31 seconds (31.0)
- 60 to 69: under 16 seconds (15.9)
- 70 to 79: 4 seconds or less (4.2)
- 80 to 99: no line, because the spread is so wide that it falls below zero
Source 1
Reading the line
Under 40, most healthy adults held the full 45 seconds, so the line sits just under it, and at any age a time near the line can move by many seconds from one session to the next. Treat being below the line as a prompt to practise and test again, not a diagnosis (our reading).
How much a time varies
Two testers timing the same tries agreed almost perfectly (0.994 with eyes open and 0.998 with eyes closed, where 1 is perfect). But a person's own time changes a lot between sessions: in 25 adults aged 60 to 89, the smallest real change was 24.1 seconds, and by video call the one-leg stand varied more than the timed up and go or the chair stand. Take the best of 3, and look at the trend over months (our reading).
What your result does and doesn't tell you
It measures standing balance on one legStrong evidence
It shows how long you can hold still on one leg with your eyes open or closed. It doesn't measure your balance while you walk, turn or get jostled (our reading).
Source 1
It falls with age faster than walking or strengthEmerging evidence
In healthy adults over 50, one-leg standing time changed more per decade than walking or strength measures. In the norms, the eyes-open average fell from about 41 seconds in the 50s to 9 from 80.
Men and women score much the sameEmerging evidence
Springer found no significant difference between men and women, and in adults over 50, sex made no difference to how balance declined with age.
Under 10 seconds is linked with a higher death rateEmerging evidence
In 1,702 Brazilians aged 51 to 75, mostly men, the 20.4% who couldn't stand 10 seconds on one leg had 1.84 times the risk of dying over a median of 7 years, after allowing for age, sex, body mass index and illnesses: 17.5% of them died, against 4.6% of those who could. The authors note that recent falls and physical activity weren't controlled for. A summary of the study describes a slightly different stance from Springer's, with the raised foot behind the standing leg, arms by the sides and up to three tries. That's an association, and no trial shows that practising it adds years.
Short times are one sign of falls risk among manyStrong evidence
In 316 healthy over-60s, those who couldn't stand 5 seconds on one leg had about twice the risk of a fall that caused an injury over 3 years (relative risk 2.13), but not of falls in general. In pooled studies, under 6.5 seconds raised a 30% chance of falling to 45%. No single test predicts falls well: the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says gait and balance tests help in observing problems but don't predict a person's risk of falling.
Poorer balance and death rates across studiesMixed evidence
In a review of physical capability and mortality, poorer standing balance went with higher death rates in all 5 studies that measured it, though not all significantly, and the studies measured balance too differently to pool.
Source 13
Balance practice prevents fallsStrong evidence
Balance and functional exercise cut the rate of falls by 24%, with high certainty. The World Falls Guidelines recommend it 3 or more times a week, made harder over at least 12 weeks.
The 4-stage balance test, if you're unsteady
From the CDC's STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries) form: eyes open, no stick or frame, and someone beside you. In the scorer, choose "4-stage test" and pick the hardest position you held.
- Your helper stands next to you and holds your arm while you get into each position, lets go when you're steady, and stays ready to help.
- Stand with your feet side by side for 10 seconds. You can hold your arms out or move your body to keep your balance, but don't move your feet.
- Place the instep of one foot so it's touching the big toe of the other foot, and hold for 10 seconds.
- Tandem stand: place one foot in front of the other, heel touching toe, and hold for 10 seconds.
- Stand on one foot for 10 seconds.
- Stop at the first position you can't hold for 10 seconds without moving your feet or holding on. Not holding the heel-to-toe stand for 10 seconds is the CDC's sign of a higher falls risk: ask your GP about a falls check, and practise with the balance routine.
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The movement on the figure: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walk
Moves that improve your score
Easiest first, always next to a counter or wall. Semi-tandem stands, 10 seconds with a hand on the counter, then without. Heel-to-toe stands, 10 to 30 seconds, then 5 to 10 heel-to-toe steps (our seniors workout). One-leg stands, 3 holds of 5 to 10 seconds each leg with your fingertips on the wall (NHS), building to 30 seconds (editorial). Side-stepping, 10 steps each way (NHS). Heel walks, 10 steps (our seniors workout), and tree pose, 20 seconds each side (our balance routine). Calf raises, 10 to 20, holding support (Otago). As you improve, take your hand off one finger at a time (Otago), and close your eyes only when one-leg standing is easy. The balance board is for when 30 seconds on one leg feels comfortable: 3 holds of 20 to 30 seconds with support near (editorial).
3D demoSemi-tandem stanceBeginner · A wall
3D demoTandem stance and heel-to-toe walkBeginner · A wall
3D demoSingle-leg standBeginner · A wall
3D demoSide-stepping (sideways walking)Beginner · A wall
3D demoHeel walkBeginner · No equipment
3D demoTree pose (Vrksasana)Beginner · No equipment
3D demoSlow calf raiseBeginner · A wall
3D demoBalance board standBeginner · Other / check instructionsWorkouts to follow
The 10-minute balance routine is for most days, next to a counter; on its own it's a small dose, so add the seniors' strength and balance session three times a week. The strength and balance workout ends with one-leg stands, and the foot and ankle routine builds your calves, ankles and balance.
Balance exercises routine
Balance practice in 10 minutes: tandem stance, single-leg stands, marches, heel walks, tree pose and floor transfers.
10 minBeginner7 movesA wall, A bench or box
Strength and balance exercises for seniors
A 40-minute strength and balance session for over-65s, built from the Otago home programme and NHS exercises, using a chair, a counter and a step.
40 minBeginner18 movesA bench or box, Something with weight
Strength and balance workout
Strength and balance in one session: squats, Romanian deadlifts, push-ups, rows, step-ups, back extensions, carries and single-leg balance.
45 minBeginner14 movesA wall, A dumbbell
Foot and ankle strengthening routine: toes, arches, calves and balance
A 15-minute barefoot routine for stronger toes, arches, calves and ankles, finishing with balance. You need only a towel, a wall and a resistance band.
15 minBeginner11 movesA wall, Other / check instructionsWeekly plans
The seniors plan builds balance three times a week with short practice on other days. Its 30-second one-leg target is editorial; this test shows where you start.
Who it isn't for
If you've fallen in the past year, feel unsteady with your feet together, or get dizzy
Use the 4-stage test, with someone holding your arm until you're steady. The PAR-Q+ (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone) asks whether you've lost your balance because of dizziness, or lost consciousness, in the past 12 months; if you have, check with your GP first.
If your feet are numb
People with nerve damage in the feet were left out of the norms. Practise with a hand on the counter, and ask your GP or podiatrist about it.
Source 1
If standing on one leg hurts the outside of your hip
That can be a sign of gluteal tendon pain. Our hip bursitis guide covers it.
Eyes closed, if you're over 60 or unsteady
Healthy adults over 60 averaged only 2 to 4 seconds with their eyes closed. Stick to eyes open, with support near.
Source 1
After a recent ankle sprain
Standing on one leg loads the injured ankle. Our sprained ankle guide has a staged plan back to balance work.
Vertigo, or a balance problem being looked into
A clinic balance test for vertigo or after a head injury is a different thing. See your GP (our reading).
When to stop and get help
Stop the test
Grabbing the counter, or uncrossing your arms, ends that try. Stop for the day if you feel dizzy or faint, or get chest pain or severe breathlessness (our suggestion, from the Otago booklet's stop signs).
Stop and call 999
Call 999 (911 in the US) for any of these, and don't drive yourself to A&E:
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness that spreads to your arm, neck or jaw, or doesn't go away when you stop, especially with breathlessness, sweating, feeling sick, or grey or pale skin.
- Severe difficulty breathing: gasping, choking or not able to get words out, or lips or skin turning pale, blue or grey. On brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands.
- Signs of a stroke: the face drooping on one side, weakness in an arm, or speech problems. Call even if the signs stop.
- Fainting while you exercise, or collapse, or feeling very unwell with symptoms that don't go away when you stop.
- After a fall: a possible injury to the head, neck, back or hip, or not being able to get up.
Stop for today and contact your GP or NHS 111
Get advice soon for any of these:
- Dizziness, light-headedness, unusual breathlessness or chest tightness that settles when you stop.
- Being suddenly more short of breath than usual (NHS 111).
- Chest pain with feeling sick, or with a heart that feels like it's racing, going too slowly, skipping a beat or fluttering (NHS 111).
- After a fall, if you may be in pain, injured or unwell (NHS 111).
See your GP
Make an appointment if:
- You're worried about your balance or getting about, or you've had a fall: ask about a falls assessment. In some areas you can refer yourself to a falls service.
- Dizziness won't go away or keeps coming back.
- You've fainted at any time other than during exercise (fainting during exercise needs 999).
- Breathlessness gets worse during your normal activities or when you lie down, or comes with swollen ankles.
What's normal
Feeling your muscles working, or slight soreness the next day, is normal.
Source 16
Myths
"If you can't stand on one leg for 10 seconds, you'll die sooner"Emerging evidence
In one study of 51 to 75-year-olds, those who couldn't were more likely to die during follow-up, but recent falls and physical activity weren't controlled for. It marks people to look after, not a fate.
Source 3
"Practising one-leg stands will add years"Mixed evidence
Balance training prevents falls, but no trial has shown that it lowers death rates.
"Everyone should manage a minute"Strong evidence
The best-studied norms stopped at 45 seconds, and healthy 70 to 79-year-olds averaged about 22 seconds.
Source 1
"Women have worse balance than men"Emerging evidence
There was no significant difference in the largest norms study, or in how balance declined with age in adults over 50.
"One wobbly try means poor balance"Emerging evidence
A person's time can vary by about 24 seconds between sessions. Take the best of 3.
Read next
Questions people ask
How long should you be able to stand on one leg?
In the largest norms study, healthy adults' best of three tries with eyes open averaged about 45 seconds under 40, 41 to 42 seconds from 40 to 59, 32 in their 60s, 22 in their 70s and 9 from 80. Compare yourself with your age, not with a single target.
How do I do the single-leg balance test?
Barefoot, next to a counter, cross your arms, look at a spot on the wall and lift one foot so it's near but not touching your other ankle. Time until you uncross your arms, touch down, move your standing foot, or reach 45 seconds. Do three tries and keep the best.
What does failing the 10-second test mean?
In a study of 1,702 people aged 51 to 75, those who couldn't stand 10 seconds on one leg were more likely to die over the next 7 years, even allowing for age and illnesses. That's an association, not a sentence. It's a good reason to practise balance, and to tell your GP if you've also fallen or feel unsteady.
Will practising one-leg stands help me live longer?
No trial has shown that. Balance practice does reduce falls: programmes built on balance and functional exercise cut falls by about a quarter.
What about with my eyes closed?
It's much harder: healthy adults averaged about 15 seconds under 40, 8 in their 50s and 2 to 4 seconds from 60. Only try it once eyes-open standing is easy, with a counter right beside you. The scorer offers it once your eyes-open time is 30 seconds or more.
Do men have better balance than women?
Not in the largest norms study, where men and women scored much the same at every age. In another study of adults over 50, sex made no difference to how balance declined with age.
Why do my times vary so much?
One-leg balance varies a lot from try to try; in one study of older adults, a time had to change by about 24 seconds before the change was clearly real. Take the best of three, and look at the trend over months.
Is it safe to do the balance test at home?
Yes, if you stand within reach of a counter or in a corner with a chair behind you, on a non-slip floor; grabbing the counter ends that try. If you've fallen or feel unsteady with your feet together, have someone beside you and use the 4-stage test.
What is the 4-stage balance test?
The CDC's version: feet side by side, then one foot half a step ahead, then heel to toe, then one foot, holding each for 10 seconds with someone beside you. Not being able to hold the heel-to-toe stand for 10 seconds is its sign of a higher falls risk. Choose it in the scorer if you're unsteady.
How do I improve my balance?
Practise one-leg stands, heel-to-toe standing and walking, and side-stepping next to a counter, 3 or more times a week for at least 12 weeks, taking your hand away one finger at a time. Our balance routine takes 10 minutes.
Sources
- Springer 2007 · Normative values for the one-leg stance test with eyes open and closed in 549 adults aged 18 to 99 (study, J Geriatr Phys Ther)
- Goldberg 2011 · Minimum detectable change for single-leg stance time in 25 older adults (study, Gait Posture)
- Araújo 2022 · The 10-second one-leg stance and survival in 1,702 adults aged 51 to 75 (cohort study, BJSM)
- CDC · STEADI assessment: the 4-stage balance test (2017)
- Sherrington 2019 · Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: 108 trials (Cochrane review)
- NHS · Balance exercises
- Hanafi 2026 · The one-leg stand, timed up and go and 30-second sit-to-stand by video call in lumbar spinal stenosis (study, BMC Musculoskelet Disord)
- Rezaei 2024 · Age-related changes in gait, balance and strength in healthy adults over 50 (cross-sectional study, PLoS One)
- Physiotutors 2023 · 10-second one-leg balance and survival (a research summary of Araújo 2022, describing its method)
- Vellas 1997 · One-leg balance and injurious falls in 316 healthy people over 60 (cohort study, J Am Geriatr Soc)
- Lusardi 2017 · Determining the risk of falls in community-living older adults with post-test probability (systematic review and meta-analysis, J Geriatr Phys Ther)
- NICE 2025 · Falls (NG249): rationale and impact
- Cooper 2010 · Grip strength, walking speed, chair rising, standing balance and mortality (systematic review and meta-analysis, BMJ)
- Montero-Odasso 2022 · World guidelines for falls prevention and management for older adults (Age and Ageing)
- PAR-Q+ Collaboration 2025 · The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+)
- Later Life Training 2018 · Otago strength and balance home exercise programme: beginners (booklet)
- NHS · Heart attack
- NHS · Chest pain
- NHS · Shortness of breath
- NHS · Stroke: symptoms
- NHS · Fainting
- NHS · Falls
- NHS · Dizziness
Fitness tests for adults compared with published norms, not a diagnosis, and clinical review of these pages is pending. Check with a GP before a hard test if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, chest pain, dizziness or breathlessness when active, and have someone with you for the balance, walking and floor tests if you've fallen or feel unsteady. Health disclaimer.