Physical Benefits in Dancers with Spinal

Cord Injury Participating in Six Week Mixed Ability Latin Dance Class

Bonny Masters MD

Our Goal• We examined the physical and psychological benefits

in persons with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) after

participation in a community based, mixed ability

social dance class.

• Dance instruction was in Rumba, Salsa, and Tango.

Study Design• We monitored attendance and participation in

mixed ability social dance class including salsa,

tango and rumba for 4 hours weekly for 6

weeks.

• There were 3 sites in the Bay Area where

participants could join class. (Oakland, Palo

Alto, and San Jose)

Study Design

• American Dancewheels Foundation’s Wheel

One® curriculum was used to teach American

style ballroom patterns adapted to the specific

needs of individual dancers.

• Standing dancers were paired with wheelchair

based dancers: all men were trained as leaders

and women as followers regardless of who was in

a wheelchair.

ParticipantsAge 42.9+12.1Paraplegia 5F/2MTetraplegia 6F/2MMean duration of injury 14.0 years +8.2Wheelchairs power/manual 5P/10M

Results

VariablePre (Mean ± SD)

6 weeks Post (Mean ± SD) P Value

Weight (lbs.) 148.7 ± 4.5 144 ±43.5 p<0.001Resting pain 3.1 ± 4.5 1.1 ±2.1 p=0.037

Range of Motion in degrees

VariablePre (Mean ± SD)

6 weeks Post (Mean ± SD) P Value

R sh flexion 142.3±14.3 151.6± 14.2 p=0.004R sh extension 70.5 ± 11.2 78.9 ± 10.5 p=0.003R sh IR 53.5 ± 15.4 77.1 ± 25.6 p<0.001R sh ER 92.8 ± 8.8 112 ± 11.8 p<0.001L sh flexion 147.3 ± 15 11 154.5 ± 10.8 p=0.011L sh abduction 150.1 ± 15 160.7 ± 13.1 p<0.001L sh extension 68 ± 9.2 79.9 ± 4.7 p<0.001L sh IR 54.1 ± 14.6 3 79.1 ± 22. p<0.001L sh ER 92.4 ± 12.3 113.4 ± 13.6 p<0.001

Strength in Kg

VariablePre (Mean ± SD)

6 weeks Post (Mean ± SD) P Value

R sh flexion 7.5 ± 3.6 9.7 ± 4.1 p=0.007R sh abduction 6.9 ± 3.2 9.2 ± 4 p=0.003R sh IR 12.8 ± 7.3 16 ± 7.1 p=0.001R sh ER 9.3 ± 4.3 11.1 ± 4.9 p=0.003R Elb Flex 14.9 ± 6.1 18.6 ± 6.7 p=0.001R elb ext 9.4 ± 5.2 11.6 ± 6.2 p=0.005L sh flexion 7.3 ± 2.8 9.9 ± 4.4 p=0.002L sh abduction 7.5 ± 3.2 9.8 ± 4 p<0.001L sh IR 12.6 ± 6.8 16.3 ± 7.5 p=0.007L sh ER 10.1 ± 4.2 12.6 ± 5.5 p<0.001L elb flex 15.5 ± 5.8 17.9 ± 6.9 p=0.003L elb ext 9.9 ± 5.4 12.1 ± 6.7 p=0.007Trunk flexion 7.7 ± 3.6 9.6 ± 4 p=0.007Trunk R lateral 7 ± 4.1 8.6 ± 3.3 p=0.008

Function

Variable

Pre (Mean ± SD)

6 weeks Post (Mean ± SD) P Value

Reaction time (ms) 330.3± 75.1 318.7± 71.5 p=0.037WC skill test 10± 3.3 9.4± 3.1 p=0.0096 min distance (ft)

2035.9± 471.7 2155.3± 505.4 p=0.012

PCI-coordination 7.5± 3.2 5.7± 1.6 p=0.002

Community IntegrationOutcome Measure

Mean Pre Intervention Mean Post Intervention P-Value

CRIS 55.1+5.1 56.7+3.7 P=0.034

Adherence

• Surprising 93.3 ±7.8%

attendance rate.

Conclusion

• These findings support the efficacy of

mixed ability Latin dance as an

intervention that likely improves overall

health and quality of life of SCI patients.

Decrease in weight of both manual and power wheelchair users is encouraging given the clinical challenge of weight loss in this population.

So many potential benefits• Improvements in:

• pain perception

• weight loss

• active ROM

• Coordination

• Social dance may provide a fun,

safe, and socially engaging form of

exercise with measurable benefits,

allowing participation of nearly all

abilities.

Difficulty in studying dance as intervention

• Dancers cannot be blinded.

• Dependence on willingness to

participate.

• Cognitive ability to learn new

information.

• Different modes of wheelchair control.

• Limited to schedule of provided dance

class.

• Other outcomes worth

consideration of further

study include spasticity,

sleep, bowel program

time, long term change

in functional

independence, mood

and quality of life.

Let’s Dance!