What is Dance Rehabilitation?

Dance rehabilitation is a form of physical therapy with a strong focus on dance-specific movements. The rehabilitation process can address both new and old injuries with exercises and activities intentionally aimed at aiding the recovery.

Dance Rehabilitation can actually help people walk and balance better. The ultimate goal is to help better design and prescribe rehabilitation to those with reduced mobility.

The Newest Research

In the article “Individualized goal-directed dance rehabilitation in chronic state of severe traumatic brain injury: A case study”, published in Helyon (Volume 5, Issue 2, February 2019), the authors present a dance intervention six and a half years after an extremely severe TBI.

The intervention was based on the fact that efficient brain functioning depends on the integrated operation of large-scale brain networks. It used a multisensory and multimodal approach and goal-directed behavior.  It lasted four months, including weekly one-hour dance lessons with the help of a physiotherapist and a dance teacher. 

The main assumption was that the process of recovery might still be accelerated during the post-acute rehabilitation process, even after a long and successful period of intensive multidisciplinary rehabilitation. The individually tailored intervention was based on the dance and music material created by the patient himself before the accident.

Several studies have demonstrated that music- and rhythm-based interventions have positive effects on treating and rehabilitating neurological conditions in post-acute rehabilitation.

Great results

The goal-directed dance rehabilitation intervention was tailored according to the needs and strengths of the rehabilitee. The 20-week intervention included a weekly 60-minute dance lesson. The results of the intervention were very promising. They were assessed by various healthcare professionals:

• According to the physiotherapist and the dance teacher, rehabilitee's balance, posture, mobility, and endurance got better. Procedural and episodic memory improved as well.
• According to the practical nurse, the rehabilitee was feeling more secure, independent and self-controlled. Executive functions got faster, alertness level and concentration were much better. Working and long-term memory, as well as motor functions, improved.
• According to the neuropsychologist, the rehabilitee’s self-awareness, self-reflection, alertness level, attention and coping, as well as episodic and working memory were improved.
• The neurologist’s assessment concluded that at the end of the 20 weeks, the rehabilitee acted self-intentionally, his functions were still slow, but faster, stimulus-dependency was diminished and he controlled his left upper limbs better and worked bi-manually more.

Conclusions

According to the article, by providing emotionally-charged, memory-retrieving multisensory information (dancing and music) to the multimodal brain regions through repeated rehearsal, it may be possible to restore, or strengthen the connections within and between various brain areas more efficiently.

Another positive conclusion is that the memory system might be activated during dance rehabilitation during the post acute rehabilitation phase of TBI, by allowing several pre-injury learned components into the process.

The article gives us hope, introducing yet another component into post-acute rehabilitation of those suffering from TBI, or other neurological disorders.

Post Acute Rehab in Florida

NeuLife Rehabilitation is one of the largest residential post-acute rehabilitation facilities in the Southeast with specialized catastrophic rehabilitation programs for a wide range of catastrophic injuries.

Our programs for Post Acute Rehab in Florida are customized to meet the individual needs of each patient, and care plans are structured to promote the highest level of functional independence and successful community reintegration. With the skills and experience of our highly trained team of clinical experts, we are able to treat a wide range of diagnoses and injuries at our brain injury facility.

If you have any more questions concerning dance rehabilitation, Post Acute Rehab in Florida, or any other issue regarding brain injury, call us to make an appointment today. You can also schedule a tour to visit our brain injury facility.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.