Five, six, seven, eight.
A new type of Parkinson’s treatment is making strides in Argentina: the tango. Each week, one hospital in Buenos Aires welcomes 100-plus people to participate in a group dance workshop aimed at introducing movements patients can employ in their everyday lives.
While beloved for its social and cultural significance, the country’s national dance form is also celebrated in medical contexts for its unique ability to treat mobility, coordination and balance impairments commonly experienced by Parkinson’s patients.
In a recent article, a neurologist unpacked the specific strengths of tango, explaining how the dance uses the very movements Parkinson’s patients often struggle to execute. When patients tango, they simultaneously handle motor, visual and auditory stimuli, which translates to improved everyday functioning.
A sidestep movement might enable a patient to open a refrigerator door, for example, while a torso rotation could help them pivot while washing dishes. The act of shifting weight between feet could allow them to step onto curbs or through doorways with greater ease.
The dance could also improve gait issues through its inherent pausing and short step pattern. Walking backward is particularly difficult for Parkinson’s patients as they tend to fall backward upon losing their balance. Regularly practicing this motion in tango, however, can enhance their agility.
Initiatives like these reveal the importance of integrating the arts with healthcare. Engaging in creative acts like these might contribute to enhanced emotional, social and physical well-being … even for those of us who don’t like dancing.