We talked to experts to understand neuroplasticity, about the connection between balance training and improved brain health.
Are you constantly tripping over your own feet?
The researchers examined 70 people in Germany, all of whom were healthy but werent athletes with excellent balance.
The research subjects were split into two groups.
One group went through a balance training program, and the other group didnt.
Everyone was tested on a set of memory and spatial cognition tasks before and after the training program.
Anat Lubetzky, PhD, is an associate professor of physical therapy at New York University
As expected, only people in the balance training group significantly improved in the brain health tests.
This study was 12 weeks, which is really not very long.
However, we do know from other studies that exercise, more generally, is good for our brains.
Now we know the brain can continue to grow and change even after were grown.
Everything we do changes the brain, Dr. Lubetsky says.
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
And thats not how people typically fall, Dr. Lubetzky says.
People fall when the environment changes, she says.
Because of this, balance is much more complex than most of us think.
TheScientific Reportsstudy used what the researchers call a dynamic balance training program.
The researchers didnt simply ask participants to see how long they could stand on one leg.
Whats important is that these exercises involve coordination, thinking, planning, and reacting, Dr. Lubetzky says.
More complex situations make our brains work harder.
That said, any exercise is better than none.
The opposite is true.
While dynamic balance exercises might boost cognitive function, any exercise is good for your brainespecially cardiovascular exercise.
Ultimately, the brain likes blood and oxygen, Dr. Kilgore says.
This would be any exercise that both raises your heartbeat and improves your balance.
However, there are many other balance exercises you’ve got the option to try.
Throwing a ball around makes you balance yourself as you toss and catch.
You have to react.
You have to have coordination.
The important thing is to challenge yourself.
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