Dance for the rehabilitation of balance and gait in adults with neurological conditions other than Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review

Heliyon, 2018 · DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00584 · Published: January 24, 2018

Alternative Medicine Neurology Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study reviews the use of dance as a form of therapy for adults with neurological conditions affecting their balance and gait, excluding those with Parkinson's disease. The review looks at how dance interventions are used, how feasible they are (considering factors like participant dropout and adverse events), and the evidence for their effect on balance, gait, and mobility. The review suggests that dance may be a feasible intervention for adults with neurological conditions, potentially improving gait, balance, and functional mobility, but more research is needed.

Study Duration

Varied from 4 weeks to 5 months

Participants

Median sample size was 9 participants with neurological conditions, including stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and Huntington’s disease

Evidence Level

Systematic Review

Key Findings

1
Dance interventions can lead to significant changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters, Berg Balance Scale scores, Timed Up and Go test, and six-minute walk test scores.
2
The feasibility of dance interventions is supported by low adverse event rates reported in the studies and reasonable adherence to dance classes.
3
There is emerging evidence suggesting that dance may be a feasible intervention for adults with neurological conditions to improve gait, balance, and functional mobility.

Research Summary

This systematic review examined the effect of dance interventions on balance, gait, and functional mobility in adults with neurological conditions other than Parkinson's disease. Nine studies were included, showing varied dance interventions and methodological quality ranging from poor to good, with study groups including stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and Huntington’s disease. The review suggests that dance is a feasible intervention with emerging evidence to support its use, warranting further investigation through randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes and better reporting.

Practical Implications

Clinical Practice

Dance can be considered as a complementary therapy to improve balance and gait in patients with neurological conditions.

Research

Further high-quality research, including randomized controlled trials, is needed to confirm the effectiveness of dance therapy and to identify optimal dance interventions for specific neurological conditions.

Policy

Healthcare providers and policymakers should explore the potential of incorporating dance programs into rehabilitation services for neurological patients.

Study Limitations

1
The search was restricted to the English language, potentially missing relevant studies.
2
None of the included studies were randomized controlled trials, increasing the risk of bias.
3
Significant heterogeneity across studies regarding design, patient population, dance program, and outcome measures limits the ability to perform a meta-analysis.

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