One of the earliest studies found examined the benefits of dance for a person with PD was in 1989, by Beth Kaplan Westbrook and Helen McKibben. The study compared the benefits of a six-week period dance/movement session to an exercise group. The authors detected improvements during the one-hour dance session than the exercise group. Another article in the field of dance and Parkinson is a preliminary study published in 2007. The small sample “investigated and compared the effects of dance and strength/flexibility exercise on functional mobility in people with PD” (Hackney et al. 5). Nineteen subjects were recruited with PD and randomly assigned to either a tango or exercise class. The participants completed a total of twenty classes and were …show more content…
The participants’ balance, stability, and posture were examined on the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale, which tests the static and dynamic balance of individuals under fluctuating sensory circumstances. The results showed there was an improvement in balance and stability, as well as motivation in the participants (111). Dr. Hackney and Dr. Earhart of Washington University School of Medicine conducted another study on the effect of dance on Parkinson’s disease. They focused specifically on how dance affects individuals with severe Parkinson’s. After a 10-week study where participants attended two tango dance classes a week, Dr. Hackney and Dr. Earhart concluded the balance, gait and functional reach of the participants improved (4-5). While the literature on the topic of dance in medicine as it relates to Parkinson’s disease is scarce, it is a field of study that is gaining recognition. Healthcare professionals and artists alike are taking interest in this subject and are beginning to uncover the significance that this area of study holds for people with …show more content…
This type of rehabilitation is especially helpful in improving balance, mobility, and endurance. Contact improvisation and tango are two types of dance that are often used for people with Parkinson’s (Marchant et al. 188-189). In a recent study conducted by the University of Limerick in Ireland, it was stated that the attendance rate was much higher than with regular therapy sessions and many of the patients requested that their programs be extended (Shanahan et al.). Dance might be a long-term solution to aid people with Parkinson’s. It not only helps to improve the body functions, but it works on the emotional level of the patient causing them to enjoy and become emotionally invested in these programs. In another study conducted by the American Dance Therapy Association, a dance class lasting two hours per week for twelve months had proven to better the gait, balance, upper extremity function and quality of life in the participants with Parkinson’s disease. This is in part because dance activates structures in the brain such as the parietal lobe, basal ganglia, and cerebellum that are specific only to dance, as well as, areas in the brain normally activated by motor tasks (Mandelbaum & Lo 173). The American Dance Therapy Association study stated “Dance is thought to involve multiple neural networks that involve motor learning, balance, and spatial integration, as well as
When exercise is initiated in the beginning of Parkinson’s disease the chances in prolonging this disease highly increase.
Chung et al. (2013), Effectiveness of resistance training on muscle strength and physical function in people with Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis . I chose this article most relevant because it is systemic peer review and quantitative in nature. In addition, the study selected seven databases (COCHRANE, CINAL, Scopus, Web of Science, ISI, Embase, MEdline ISI and Psycinfo) with full text and from 1946 to 2014. The randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of resistance training on muscle and fall prevention as physical functional activities. The systemic review result which support the hypothesis and demonstrate positive results. The moderate intensity, progressive resistance training 2-3 times per week to 10weeks result in significant strength, fall prevention(balance) and motor symptoms gains. The weakness of the study is they did not compare two kinds of resistive exercises which are more beneficial to improve condition, for instance-resisted static cycling, light weight lifting. I would like to use this article result in my clinical practice in patient with PD to improve muscle strength, balance and to prevent
The goal of physical therapy for people with Parkinson's Disease is to help them perform every day activities with the disease. Walking is one of the most common difficulties people with Parkinson's Disease encounter, and is one of the areas physical therapist spend a lot of time with. One way physical therapist help their patients walk is by using visual cues. An example of a visual cue is white lines on the floor spaced at step length. Another area of concern that a physical therapist would address is turning around. An elderly person without Parkinson's Disease can do a 360 turn in fewer than six steps. A person with Parkinson's Disease usually needs to take twenty steps. A physical therapist would address this by training the person to concentrate in a larger arc of movement and to use a full body movement (Morris).
Many may not know Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world. This disease is most seen in the elderly starting at 62 years of age although, younger individuals can still have the disease it isn’t common. Parkinson’s make it difficult for its victims to carry out everyday activities that might have once been easy for them. As the disease progresses it makes it hard for the patient to do things like walk, stand, swallow and speak. A great deal of people don’t realize how helpful therapy can be when dealing with such disease!
When people hear the words Parkinson’s disease they think, “Isn’t that what Michael J. Fox has?” For those who are asking, “Who is Michael J. Fox?” He was the character Marty McFly in the “Back to the Future” movie and played on many TV shows. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he set up an organization to research Parkinsonism. What the Michael J. Fox Foundation found was that 40 percent of the people living with Parkinson’s disease experience dystonia as an early symptom or a complication of treatment. This is the only blurb you see on the website about dystonia. In fact, it is so much like the other disorders out there that many people have never heard of it. The purpose of this paper is to inform
In this study, “Group A received PT and medication therapy (MT) for 6 weeks, followed by MT only for the second 6 weeks. Group B received only MT for the first 6 weeks and PT and MT for the second 6 weeks(5)”. This study helps show how physical therapy can be applied to many different types of medical fields for any type of recovery. In the conclusion of the study, it stated, “People with Parkinson’s disease derive benefits in the short term from the physical therapy group treatment, in addition to their medical therapy, for quality of life related to mobility, long-term benefits were found in the study, and the total scores but varied between groups(5)”. In simpler terms the patients that received physical therapy and medical therapy at the same time opposed to those who only received the medical side showed much more improvement in the recovery and wellness process. Provided this, it is clear that physical therapy can and is playing a large part in many different medical
There are lots of older adults suffering from Parkinson disease. People suffering from Parkinson have to deal with gait problems and its effect their life style, make life of their caregivers so stressful. Parkinson disease client also have problem in walking and doing other things same time and if they do so they have a greater risk of falling.
Abnormal brain activity is caused when low levels of dopamine are decreased, which leads to symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but symptoms of the disease are caused by low levels of a chemical in the brain called dopamine. All this information regarding Parkinson's disease is important because it gives us an understanding about what it is and who it normally involves. This disease affects the lives of many people, where it has an effect in their everyday activities. When trying to perform a certain task, their motor system interferes and creates an individual constraint which also plays a role with affecting both task and environmental abilities to perform certain activities that limits and restricts individuals motor movement. Haywood (2009) explains how every individual has their own constraints: individual, task, and environmental, but are limited when it comes to having a type of disorder. The main focus of this literature review is strictly focusing on Parkinsonian gait. Parkinsonian gait is the type of gait that is exhibited by patients who are suffering from Parkinson's disease. This disorder is caused by a lack of dopamine in the basal ganglia circuit leading to motor deficits, making gait one of the most affected motor
Muhamad Ali, Michael J. Fox, and Linda Ronstadt are just a few celebrities that have been diagnosed with a disease called Parkinson’s. Most people have heard the name of this disease but do not exactly know what it is. Although it is not well known, it is a very common neurodegenerative disease. Much of the information about Parkinson’s is not prominent, although the disease is the second most common of its kind, next to Alzheimer’s (Surguchov, 2013, p.116). The disease can be debilitating if not treated properly. Because PD is such a real issue, efforts to research its cause and treatment have been extensive and continue to be. Only one medication known to ease the suffering of its victims has been found effective thus far (Surguchov,
When people hear Parkinson’s disease they think, “Isn’t that what Michael J Fox has?” For those who are asking who Michael J Fox is, he was Marty McFly in “Back to the Future” movie and he played on many other TV programs who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at an early age and has set up an organization to research Parkinson’s disease. What the Michael J Fox Foundation found out was that 40 percent of the people living with Parkinson’s disease experience Dystonia as an early symptom or a complication of treatment. This is the only blurb you see on the website about Dystonia. In fact, Dystonia is so much like the other disorders that many people have never heard of it. The purpose of this paper is to inform as many people as possible
For many 50 year olds, tasks such as writing or walking can be easily preformed without much attention. In fact, the term “task” seems to stress that there is a greater level of effort than is truly exerted in order for the average person to perform these actions. However, for a patient of Parkinson’s Disease who is diagnosed on average at the age of 50, these every day activities take a great deal of time, attention, and effort to be preformed (Huston). With the growth of research about this disease, a variety of treatment options ranging from medication to surgery are currently available to patients who suffer from the debilitating effects of Parkinson’s Disease.
My grandpa, R. Gale Desmond, has Parkinson’s disease. About five years ago, he started having tremors and decided to go to the doctor find out what was wrong. “I wasn’t surprised when it was (Parkinson’s)” (R. Desmond). Gale was a fairly mobile 80 year old but he has slowly become less mobile because of stiffness, lack of balance, and difficulty of movement due to the loss of neurons with dopamine. Even while being in his late 70’s and early 80’s, he was active and would go outside and rake
Over the last five years, the dance industry has grown annually by 2.9%. (IBIS World) With an increase in studios, classes and performances, one must question why dance is becoming popular once again despite the statistics of eating disorders and injuries. Regardless of possible injuries and eating disorders, studies have been taken proving the tremendous benefits associated with dancing. According to Ladock, the greatest benefits of dance are weight loss, muscle tone, posture, flexibility, balance, kinesthetic awareness and mood improving. While injuries are often
Notwithstanding tremors, we likewise observe dyskinesias in people with Parkinson’s malady. Dyskinesias, otherwise called chorea, are even more a streaming, move like development that is not cadenced. The term chorea really originates from the Greek work choreia, which means Dance. These happen for the most part somewhat later in the illness course and are because of a blend of the malady itself and the solutions (fundamentally levodopa) used to treat the
Parkinson’s disease is a chronic disorder of the nervous system with a gradual onset that primarily affects the body’s motor system. The symptoms of the disease are mainly caused by the death of dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter that, among other things, is responsible for playing a role in how the brain controls bodily movements. Therefore, the cardinal symptoms of the disease are movement related, including tremor and rigid, jerky movements. Parkinson’s is a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse over time, until it eventually leads to complete disability. Parkinson’s is a fairly common disease, and several well-known people, such as actor Michael J. Fox and boxer Muhammad Ali have