When the band strikes up a tango, people with Parkinson?s disease may want to head for the
dance floor.
That is the lesson from a new study reporting that when Parkinson?s patients took tango
classes, their balance improved.
Problems with walking and balance are common among people with the disease, and often lead to
falls. Among the difficulties, the researchers said, are shuffling and trouble turning while
walking. Patients may experience a sudden ?freezing? that can either slow them down or stop
them entirely. They also have trouble walking while performing another activity at the same
time.
The study appears in the December issue of The Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy. The lead
author is Madeleine E. Hackney of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
The researchers described what happened when 19 Parkinson?s patients were given either 20 tango
classes or 20 exercise classes. The exercise class consisted of one hour of movement, much of
it in chairs or using chairs for support. The tango class was more vigorous, and focused on
stretching, balance, footwork and timing.
Both groups demonstrated general improvement, but only the tango students appeared to do better
when it came to balance. The improvement was fairly limited, and the researchers said more
study was needed.
Source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/12/he...ZHK4Z4wbzFUoKA