Well, obviously my brain isn't working at all. I never passed the Berg Balance test where you are supposed to stand on one leg for 5 seconds. And while I could stand on my good leg for quite some time, the left arm could never grab my foot since using my left hand requires my right hand to put it into position and open the fingers at the same time. I don't think I have that flexibility to reach that far behind myself with both arms to grab the left foot.
Try This Simple DIY Test to Find Out How Well Your Brain Is Working
Here's a quick do-it-yourself test for brain health: See how long you can stay balanced on one leg. If you can't hold that flamingo position for at least 20 seconds, it could indicate damage to small blood vessels in your brain even if you have no other symptoms.
That damage could put you at high risk for brain disease, including stroke and cognitive decline.
Microbleeds or blockages of tiny blood vessels in the brain can cause damage that affects a person's walking and balance.
Japanese
researchers wanted to devise a simple, low-cost test that could
indicate whether these microbleeds had already occurred in people who
otherwise seemed healthy. The result was a one-leg balance test.
The
researchers had about 1,400 men and women, average age 67, stand with
one leg raised and their eyes open for a maximum of 60 seconds. Each
person in the test did this twice. Afterward, each subject underwent an
MRI brain scan to detect any blood vessel damage.
Those who
struggled to stay balanced for 20 seconds were more likely to have brain
lesions from a ministroke or from a microbleed. About 35 percent of
those who had had more than two of these ministrokes had trouble
balancing. Plus, short balance times were linked with lower scores on
memory and thinking tests.
Those who can't stay balanced for very long should talk to their doctor about further evaluation.(Why? My doctor knows absolutely nothing about getting me to pass this test.)
No comments:
Post a Comment