Dance Protocols Improve Motor Symptoms, Balance in Patients With Parkinson Disease

A twice-a-week dance intervention improved motor symptoms and balance in patients with Parkinson disease over 3 months, according to findings published online ahead of print in the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science.

The randomized clinical trial compared outcomes with two-beat (binary) rhythm and four-beat (quaternary) rhythm dance protocols in 31 patients with Parkinson disease. Among participants, 18 were randomly assigned to the binary rhythm group and 13 to the quaternary rhythm group. Both groups participated in their assigned dance rhythm intervention twice a week in 45-minute sessions held over 12 weeks. Researchers were interested in effects on balance, gait, and mobility.

Patients in the binary rhythm group showed significant gains in balance, freezing of gait, and motor aspects on the MDS-Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part III, on which the total value score change was 3.23, according to the study.

Patients in the quaternary rhythm group, meanwhile, significantly improved in balance and in motor aspects on the MDS-UPDRS Part III. Researchers reported an MDS-UPDRS Part III total value score change of 3.54.

“The binary and the quaternary rhythm dance protocols positively influenced the motor symptoms of individuals with Parkinson disease after 12 weeks of intervention,” the study concluded.

Reference:
Moratelli JA, Alexandre KH, Boing L, Swarowsky A, Corrêa CL, Coutinho de Azevedo Guimarães A. Dance rhythms improve motor symptoms in individuals with Parkinson’s disease: a randomized clinical trial [published online ahead of print December 5, 2021]. J Dance Med Sci. doi:10.12678/1089-313X.031522a.