Dance Benefits Of Dance

Ray is a 67 year old retired train engineer. He recently began having difficulty walking, maintaining his balance, and having constant fine shaking of his hands while at rest. As time passes his difficulties worsen. He moves slowly and his posture becomes stooped. He leans forward while walking and is prone to falling. He also complains of stiffness.
Ray’s physician will immediately suspect Parkinson’s disease (PD). Ray’s age (being over 50) puts him at higher likelihood for PD. Ray’s signs that would lead his doctor to suspect PD are his involuntary resting tremors, bradykinesia, posture, and falling. Resting tremors are an uncontrolled tremor that disappears once the patient uses their hands. Resting tremors also known as the “pill-rolling”

Excluded from the study were patients that were experiencing falls or using assisted devices, as these patients would not tolerate the program well. Dance incorporates movements that are difficult for PD patients such as walking backward and turning. The benefits of dance are the music serves as a cue to facilitate specifically taught movement strategies. Dance is an excellent program because of the encouragement of balance, enhances of strength and flexibility, cardiovascular function, and is an excellent aerobic exercise. When compared to walking exercise, dancing tango showed greater improvements in walking speed and balance. When comparing traditional exercise programs to dance programs patients participating in dance improved on average 4 points on the Berg Balance Scale with a twice weekly 10 week tango program, the group of traditional exercise showed no significant improvement. The dance group showed improvement in the Timed Up & Go whereas the traditional exercise group did not. Dance patients also improved 40-60m in the 6MWT. In closing dance improves balance, gait function, and overall quality of life than exercise programs