Dance for Chronic Pain
The use of dance has been suggested as adjunct to chronic pain management. When compared to other forms of activity is has shown to be superior for brain plasticity in the elderly.[1] and to improve psychological outcome measures and memory.[2][3] Research has stipulated that beneficial and potent elements of dance for chronic pain could include music[4], distraction[5] and social interaction[6].
Although currently there is a lack of specific research dedicated to dance for chronic pain conditions, one of the first studies to collate research evidence was performed in 2022. This 2022 systematic review found various dances to reduce the experience of pain in a number of pain conditions.[7] They found dance of 60-150 minutes to be most beneficial for pain reduction.
Dance not only holds obvious benefits akin to exercise, but also has strong psychological and social implications.
How dance may assist in chronic pain management
Physical
Dance has been found to improve mobility and endurance in older adults[8], balance in both children[9] and adults[10] with diagnosed Parkinson's Disease and gait and musculoskeletal function[11]. It has also been researched to reduce disease impact for individuals diagnosed with Fibromyalgia[12]. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis showed dance to improve quality of life, reduce anxiety and depression whilst also being superior to other forms of physical activity to reduce distress, and improve social cognition, motivation and memory.[13]
Psychological
Dance has been researched to improve mood and self-confidence[14], and significantly reduce depression, anxiety and improve the ability to cope with mental illness[15]. Dance has also shown to improve body image in obese individuals involved in dance therapy[16].
Social
Although intertwined with psychological components, studies have identified that dance supports enjoyment, social functioning[17] and social dance in particular holds greater benefits for enjoyment and sense of achievement when partnering is agreeable[18]
References
- ↑ Rehfeld, Kathrin; Lüders, Angie; Hökelmann, Anita; Lessmann, Volkmar; Kaufmann, Joern; Brigadski, Tanja; Müller, Patrick; Müller, Notger G. (2018-07-11). "Dance training is superior to repetitive physical exercise in inducing brain plasticity in the elderly". PLOS ONE. 13 (7). Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1396636R. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0196636. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6040685. PMID 29995884. Unknown parameter
|article-number=ignored (help) - ↑ Fong Yan, Alycia; Nicholson, Leslie L.; Ward, Rachel E.; Hiller, Claire E.; Dovey, Kathryn; Parker, Helen M.; Low, Lee-Fay; Moyle, Gene; Chan, Cliffton (2024-05-01). "The Effectiveness of Dance Interventions on Psychological and Cognitive Health Outcomes Compared with Other Forms of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis". Sports Medicine. 54 (5): 1179–1205. doi:10.1007/s40279-023-01990-2. ISSN 1179-2035. PMC 11127814 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 38270792 Check|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Quan, Yixue; Lo, Chi Yhun; Olsen, Kirk N.; Thompson, William Forde (2024). "The effectiveness of aerobic exercise and dance interventions on cognitive function in adults with mild cognitive impairment: an overview of meta-analyses". International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 0: 1–22. doi:10.1080/1750984X.2024.2332989. ISSN 1750-984X.
- ↑ Garza-Villarreal, Eduardo A.; Pando, Victor; Vuust, Peter; Parsons, Christine (2017-02-02), "Music-induced analgesia in chronic pain conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis", Pain Physician, bioRxiv, 20 (7): 597–610, doi:10.1101/105148, PMID 29149141, retrieved 2025-08-12
- ↑ Roa Romero, Yadira; Straube, Thomas; Nitsch, Alexander; Miltner, Wolfgang H. R.; Weiss, Thomas (2013-01-01). "Interaction between stimulus intensity and perceptual load in the attentional control of pain". PAIN. 154 (1): 135–140. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2012.10.003. ISSN 0304-3959. PMID 23182624.
- ↑ Tarr, Bronwyn; Launay, Jacques; Cohen, Emma; Dunbar, Robin (October 2015). "Synchrony and exertion during dance independently raise pain threshold and encourage social bonding". Biology Letters. 11 (10). doi:10.1098/rsbl.2015.0767. PMC 4650190. PMID 26510676. Unknown parameter
|article-number=ignored (help) - ↑ Hickman, Benjamin; Pourkazemi, Fereshteh; Pebdani, Roxanna N; Hiller, Claire E; Fong Yan, Alycia (2022-12-01). "Dance for Chronic Pain Conditions: A Systematic Review". Pain Medicine. 23 (12): 2022–2041. doi:10.1093/pm/pnac092. ISSN 1526-4637. PMC 9714531 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 35736401 Check|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Liu, Xuegang; Shen, Pei-Lin; Tsai, Yung-Shen (2021-02-01). "Dance intervention effects on physical function in healthy older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis". Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. 33 (2): 253–263. doi:10.1007/s40520-019-01440-y. ISSN 1720-8319. PMID 31894561.
- ↑ May, Tamara; Chan, Emily S.; Lindor, Ebony; McGinley, Jennifer; Skouteris, Helen; Austin, David; McGillivray, Jane; Rinehart, Nicole J. (2021-01-02). "Physical, cognitive, psychological and social effects of dance in children with disabilities: systematic review and meta-analysis". Disability and Rehabilitation. 43 (1): 13–26. doi:10.1080/09638288.2019.1615139. ISSN 0963-8288. PMID 31112671.
- ↑ Ismail, Sophia Rasheeqa; Lee, Shaun Wen Huey; Merom, Dafna; Megat Kamaruddin, Puteri Sofia Nadira; Chong, Min San; Ong, Terence; Lai, Nai Ming (2021-09-22). "Evidence of disease severity, cognitive and physical outcomes of dance interventions for persons with Parkinson's Disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis". BMC Geriatrics. 21 (1): 503. doi:10.1186/s12877-021-02446-w. ISSN 1471-2318. PMC 8456607 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 34551722 Check|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Hackney, Madeleine E.; Earhart, Gammon M. (2010-05-01). "Effects of Dance on Gait and Balance in Parkinson's Disease: A Comparison of Partnered and Nonpartnered Dance Movement". Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair. 24 (4): 384–392. doi:10.1177/1545968309353329. ISSN 1545-9683. PMC 2900796. PMID 20008820.
- ↑ Murillo-García, Álvaro; Villafaina, Santos; Adsuar, José C.; Gusi, Narcis; Collado-Mateo, Daniel (2018). "Effects of Dance on Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis". Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2018 (1). doi:10.1155/2018/8709748. ISSN 1741-4288. PMC 6188768. PMID 30364046. Unknown parameter
|article-number=ignored (help) - ↑ Fong Yan, Alycia; Nicholson, Leslie L.; Ward, Rachel E.; Hiller, Claire E.; Dovey, Kathryn; Parker, Helen M.; Low, Lee-Fay; Moyle, Gene; Chan, Cliffton (2024-05-01). "The Effectiveness of Dance Interventions on Psychological and Cognitive Health Outcomes Compared with Other Forms of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis". Sports Medicine. 54 (5): 1179–1205. doi:10.1007/s40279-023-01990-2. ISSN 1179-2035. PMC 11127814 Check
|pmc=value (help). PMID 38270792 Check|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Maraz, Aniko; Király, Orsolya; Urbán, Róbert; Griffiths, Mark D.; Demetrovics, Zsolt (2015-03-24). "Why Do You Dance? Development of the Dance Motivation Inventory (DMI)". PLOS ONE. 10 (3). Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1022866M. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122866. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4372397. PMID 25803301. Unknown parameter
|article-number=ignored (help) - ↑ Hackney, Madeleine E.; Earhart, Gammon M. (January 2010). "Social Partnered Dance for People With Serious and Persistent Mental Illness: A Pilot Study". Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease. 198 (1): 76–78. doi:10.1097/NMD.0b013e3181c81f7c. ISSN 0022-3018. PMID 20061874.
- ↑ Muller-Pinget, Solange; Carrard, Isabelle; Ybarra, Juan; Golay, Alain (2012-12-01). "Dance therapy improves self-body image among obese patients". Patient Education and Counseling. Special Issue on Health Communication in Complementary and Integrative Medicine. 89 (3): 525–528. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2012.07.008. ISSN 0738-3991. PMID 23031613.
- ↑ Lakes, Kimberley D.; Marvin, Shesha; Rowley, Jessica; Nicolas, Malia San; Arastoo, Sara; Viray, Leo; Orozco, Amanda; Jurnak, Frances (2016-06-01). "Dancer perceptions of the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical benefits of modern styles of partnered dancing". Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 26: 117–122. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2016.03.007. ISSN 0965-2299. PMC 5267615. PMID 27261991.
- ↑ Kunkel, Dorit; Robison, Judy; Fitton, Carolyn; Hulbert, Sophia; Roberts, Lisa; Wiles, Rose; Pickering, Ruth; Roberts, Helen; Ashburn, Ann (2018-07-31). "It takes two: the influence of dance partners on the perceived enjoyment and benefits during participation in partnered ballroom dance classes for people with Parkinson's". Disability and Rehabilitation. 40 (16): 1933–1942. doi:10.1080/09638288.2017.1323029. ISSN 0963-8288. PMID 28482703.
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