Standing on one leg with eyes closed test

You guys! Hello! I know it’s been a while since I’ve been here. I’ve been managing okay! However today I felt off balance while drying my face with a towel. I was also on my tippy toes. This led to a plethora of balance tests including this one: stand on one leg with both eyes closed and arms crossed with hands touching shoulders. I kept falling over. Apparently I should be able to do this for 30 seconds or more at my age. It took me a few tries to make it to 60 seconds. I’m being obsessive about this. I keep worrying as to why I can’t do it every time. Sometimes I topple at 5 seconds! Please help. I’m being so unrealistic I know.

not many people can do this and I think you are over-thinking this one to be honest.

Ohhh... to be a fly on the wall ;)

Years ago, after joining the site, my wife and were in the store and there was a woman performing balance tests in the aisle... If it weren't for reading about weird self testing habits here, I wouldn't have known what was going on.

Positive thoughts

I became obsessed with this test earlier in the year. At first I couldn't do it for more than 5 seconds, but as I practiced I learned how to maintain balance by engaging my core, bending my knees and gripping with my toes. Sometimes I'd get 5 seconds, sometimes 50, it just depended on how I set myself.

I'm not sure how old you are, but according to Dr Michael Mosely in your 40s 13 seconds is good, in your 50's you'll do well to get over 8 seconds and over 60 probably only 4 seconds for this test.

So if you're getting 30-60 seconds, you're a high achiever :)

Also I think it's worth keeping in mind that preoccupation with these kinds of tests is health anxiety behaviour.

I went through an obsession of doing this a couple of years ago when I was having weird headaches and pressure in my head. I wasn’t able to do half the balance tests I read about. I ended up going for a brain MRI and all that was wrong was some blocked sinuses. It cleared and then I thought nothing else of it. Did try some balance tests recently though and still couldn’t pass them (and had another clear MRI without any blocked sinuses!) So I don’t think you can read much into them :-)

The self testing is a rabbit hole.

Balance has been one of my issues which led me down the MS route. I have phases where I look pissed when I'm walking. I've fallen against the wall in the shower a few times and when I'm like this, I have no chance of doing the balance test. Anyway, I'm deaf in one ear, I also have tinnitus and sometimes it feels like I'm falling when I'm standing up.

GP diagnosed me with vertigo but given my other symptoms, and the fact that my mother had Meniere's, it could be the case that I have that too - however, it aint MS.

Lots of things affect balance - the most likely being inner ear issues like mine.

If you've had a cold recently or blocked sinuses - anything like that - it can affect your balance...

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Originally Posted by Flapj

The self testing is a rabbit hole.

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It certainly is with HA.

Thank you for your responses everyone. Of course I am still testing myself once a day. I have a strange tingling on the top of my left toe and I feel like my thigh is tingly too. Along with the balancing. It just scared me

Hi katniss, I have the tingling in the my toes up to my thighs which has set off my HA.
Also been having the balancing issue when in the bathroom.
More interestingly, I've been doing the balance exercise you mention for over 2 years now.
It was shown to me when I had an assessment with a private consultant when I feared I was getting Parkinsons, as my dad had it and I got into my head that I was too.
I got the all clear from the assessment and was told it was all due to anxiety.
But I carried on testing myself because of my unsteadiness.
So when I first did these I could barely stand on one leg with eyes open let alone shut.
But I found with practise and relaxation I could do the exercises with more ease and for longer.
As I said, I've been doing this for over two years now, but I still have the unsteadiness when I wash my face or brush my teeth, so it doesn't make sense as my exercises prove I am well balanced.
The only thing I can think of is our thoughts when doing such tasks. Anyway, thought I'd mention it on here.
Just to add. Nicola is right. Not many people can do this exercise at all, so if you can do it, then it must give you confidence. I do them as part of my yoga routine, which is a better way to partake than getting anxious about your performance.