In a new study, researchers found out that the inability to balance on one leg for at least 20 seconds or more could signal brain damage in otherwise healthy individuals. The study was published in Stroke and it reveals the association between the lack of balance skills and increased risk for damage in the small vessels in the brain that can lead to reduced cognitive function in people that appears normal.
According to the lead author Yasuharu Tabara, from the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Kyoto, Japan, "Our study found that the ability to balance on one leg is an important test for brain health."
Before, being unable to stand on one leg has been recommended to be a sign of certain health issues. In fact, a recent study published in BMJ, they revealed that there is a link between the longer the time people were able to balance on one leg and all cause mortality rates. The subjects were all aged 53 years old.
Cerebral blood disease damage the arteries by rendering them less flexible that leads to diminished blood flow. This can lead to future symptomatic stroke. In the study, the participants stood on one leg for 60 seconds with both eyes open. The test was done two times with the patient's best recorded time. In total, there are 841 women and 546 men with an average of 67 years old.
Then, they were tested through MRI (Magentic Resonance Imaging) to study any cerebral small vessel disease damage. They found out the association with small subclinical infarctions wherein there is impaired blood flow to the tissue that can cause necrosis or tissue death.
The researchers write that previous studies have consistently found evidence supporting a relationship between postural instability and changes within the brain, but few have extended this connection to lacunar infarction or microbleeds.
The results of the study were similar to other researches in the past. They found out the strong correlation or relationship between the balancing ability of a person with his or her brain health.
"One-leg standing time is a simple measure of postural instability and might be a consequence of the presence of brain abnormalities. Individuals showing poor balance on one leg should receive increased attention, as this may indicate an increased risk for brain disease and cognitive decline," Tabara.