How Dance For Parkinson’s Disease Can Help You?

Do you experience PD symptoms such as struggling with movement, getting in and out of bed, or frustrated by your speech changes. Dance For Parkinson’s Disease is a program which was first established about 15 years ago in Brooklyn and is helping people with their PD symptoms. As one participant says about the Dance for Parkinson’s Disease program

…something about the music and movement together that seems to help at a different level. … I come out of the class feeling energized and relaxed, all at the same time, and ready to move.

What’s exciting today it’s being applied across the U.S.A as well as 16 other countries and it’s starting to gain traction here in Australia as well.

The Stanford Neuroscience Health Center stared offering this this program and people with PD are reporting their experience as

not just about the physical, there is a psychological boost as well
there is a sense of personal exploration as people achieve what they thought was not possible
sense of restoration as a person connects with joy and a new self image

The Evidence for Dance for Parkinson’s Disease

The early days of the Dance for Parkinson’s Disease program where met with appreciable skepticism. Since its development by Olie Westheimer in 2001, the research base has grown and its quality refined.

According to the Stanford Neuroscience Health Center the program, dance for Parkinson’s Disease demonstrates tangible and meaningful functional gains. People who participate in the program show gains in mobility, fine-motor skills and self report an elevation in mood which appears to be correlated to achieving more control of their physical movements.

According to Helen Bronte-Stewart, MD, a Stanford professor of neurology and neurological sciences reports the Dance for Parkinson’s Disease program

Trains the motor system, or rather trains the brain to help the body to maintain continual movement. This is in contrast to the disease which essential restricts movement
Responds to the disease effect on the brain which wants to cause the body to slow down or become stiff
It targets maintaining and increasing physical activity, social interaction and mental stimulation

Click here to download: 13 Breakthroughs For Parkinson’s Disease

The Future of PD Movement Programs

Technology for Parkinson Disease: The originator of the Dance for PD, emerged from Ollie’s Morris Dance Group. The same innovative spirit 15 years ago is now taking another step forward with a partnership with SS+K ( a New York creative agency) by creating Moving Through Glass. It’s a program on Google Glass which is helping people with Parkinson’s Disease move in the world outside the dance, outpatient, neuro rehab environments.

For us at OTBrisbane this is very exciting. Wed like to thank the original source article for

Dance For Parkinson’s Disease Literature

Impact of a weekly dance class on the functional mobility and on the quality of life of individuals with parkinson’s disease: Front. Aging Neurosci., 10 October 2011. https://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2011.00014/full
Differential Effects of Tango Versus Dance for PD in Parkinson Disease: Front. Aging Neurosci., 21 December 2015. https://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2015.00239/full

OT Brisbane Parkinson’s Disease Resources

7 Resources To Help You Get Up To Speed About What Are Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms.
Parkinson’s Disease Treatment: How You Can Delay The Decline

For us at OTBrisbane we find the Dance for Parkinson’s Disease program a treatment regime which is different to the classical PD therapy programs as well as having an evidence base. Furthermore the technology advances are exciting. We’d like to thank the original source article:

Source: https://stanmed.stanford.edu/2017winter/dance-for-parkinsons-disease-at-the-stanford-neuroscience-health-center.html