Effects of dance on movement control in Parkinson\u27s disease: A comparison of Argentine tango and American ballroom

Argentine tango and American ballroom. " Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine.41,6. 475-81. (2009)

Effects of dance on balance and gait in severe Parkinson disease: A case study

PURPOSE: Dance may improve functional mobility in individuals with mild - moderate Parkinson disease (PD), yet dance effects in severe PD remain unexamined. This study's purpose was to evaluate the feasibility and effects of partnered tango classes on balance, endurance and quality of life in an individual with severe PD. DESIGN: Over 10 weeks, the participant attended 20, 1-hour tango classes for individuals with PD. Balance, walking, and quality of life were evaluated before and after the intervention and at a one-month follow-up in this single case design. Caregiver burden was also assessed at all time points. RESULTS: The participant improved on the Berg balance scale, 6 minute walk test, and functional reach. He reported increased balance confidence and improved quality of life as measured by the Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39 summary index. Gains were maintained at the one-month follow-up. Caregiver burden increased from baseline immediately post-intervention and at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Twenty partnered tango lessons improved balance, endurance, balance confidence, and quality of life in a participant with severe PD. This is the first report of the use of dance as rehabilitation for an individual with advanced disease who primarily used a wheelchair for transportation

Lessons and challenges of trials involving ancillary therapies for Parkinson’s disease

Progressive impairment, particularly related to gait, postural control and cognitive decline, are not effectively treated by the current pharmacological and surgical management of Parkinson\u27s disease (PD). This has led many patients and treating physicians to explore concomitant therapeutic modalities such as aerobic exercise, resistance training, physical therapy, massage, dance and music therapy, tai chi and others to aid in reducing symptomatology and improving patient quality of life

Putting music to trial : Consensus on key methodological challenges investigating music-based rehabilitation

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.Major advances in music neuroscience have fueled a growing interest in music-based neurological rehabilitation among researchers and clinicians. Musical activities are excellently suited to be adapted for clinical practice because of their multisensory nature, their demands on cognitive, language, and motor functions, and music's ability to induce emotions and regulate mood. However, the overall quality of music-based rehabilitation research remains low to moderate for most populations and outcomes. In this consensus article, expert panelists who participated in the Neuroscience and Music VII conference in June 2021 address methodological challenges relevant to music-based rehabilitation research. The article aims to provide guidance on challenges related to treatment, outcomes, research designs, and implementation in music-based rehabilitation research. The article addresses how to define music-based rehabilitation, select appropriate control interventions and outcomes, incorporate technology, and consider individual differences, among other challenges. The article highlights the value of the framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions for music-based rehabilitation research and the need for stronger methodological rigor to allow the widespread implementation of music-based rehabilitation into regular clinical practice.Peer reviewe

Argentine Tango as Therapy for Parkinson Disease

Individuals with Parkinson disease (PD) may experience postural instability, bradykinesia, gait impairment, turning difficulty and freezing. These problems frequently lead to falls, fear of falling, and withdrawal from society (Bloem et al., 2001a, 2001 b). In a prospective study, 70% of patients fell within a one year period, and 50 % of them fell again the following year (Bloem et al., 2004). Individuals with PD are 3.2 times more likely to sustain a hip fracture than people of similar age without PD (Melton et al., 2006). The cost of care for hip fractures in PD is approximately $192 million per year in the United States alone (Bacon, 1996; Melton et al., 2006). Given the great personal and financial costs of PD-associated gait and balance deficits, strategies are clearly needed to address these impairments. As pharmacological methods remain only partially effective in treating the symptoms of those with PD, additional, non-pharmacological approaches that address balance and gait difficulties are necessary (Gage & Storey, 2004). Gait and balance problems are commonly approached using traditional exercise programs, but evidence suggests that dance may more effectively target balance and complex gait tasks in frail elderly individuals (Jacobson et al., 2005). The effects of the partner dance, Argentine tango, on balance and gait in PD had yet to be investigated. Through clinical and kinematic measures in individuals with PD we determined: (1) whether tango improves functional mobility, (2) how tango compares to traditional exercise, other forms of dance, or no intervention for improving functional mobility, (3) whether high dosage tango dance programs of short duration are feasible and as effective as moderate dosage tango programs of longer duration, and (4) if partnered dancing confers benefits not obtained by non-partnered dancing. The goal of this work was to establish how dance, particularly partnered dance, influences functional mobility, balance and gait in people with PD. We ultimately hope to develop optimized therapeutic dance interventions to address balance and gait difficulties and quality of life issues associated with PD

Community-based Adapted Tango Dancing for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease and Older Adults

Adapted tango dancing improves mobility and balance in older adults and additional populations with balance impairments. It is composed of very simple step elements. Adapted tango involves movement initiation and cessation, multi-directional perturbations, varied speeds and rhythms. Focus on foot placement, whole body coordination, and attention to partner, path of movement, and aesthetics likely underlie adapted tango’s demonstrated efficacy for improving mobility and balance. In this paper, we describe the methodology to disseminate the adapted tango teaching methods to dance instructor trainees and to implement the adapted tango by the trainees in the community for older adults and individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Efficacy in improving mobility (measured with the Timed Up and Go, Tandem stance, Berg Balance Scale, Gait Speed and 30 sec chair stand), safety and fidelity of the program is maximized through targeted instructor and volunteer training and a structured detailed syllabus outlining class practices and progression