title: Does dance-based therapy increase gait speed in older adults with chronic lower extremity pain: a feasibility study.
abstract: A decreased gait speed in older adults can lead to dependency when the individuals are no longer able to participate in activities or do things for themselves. Thirty-seven senior apartment residents (31 females; Mean age=80.6 years; SD=8.9) with lower extremity pain/stiffness participated in a feasibility and preliminary efficacy study of 12 weeks (24 sessions). Healthy-Steps dance therapy compared to a wait-list control group. Small improvements in gait speed ([ES]=0.33) were noted for participants completing 19-24 dance sessions. Improvements in gait speed measured by a 10 Meter Walk Test (0.0517 m/s) exceeded 0.05 m/s, a value deemed to be meaningful in community dwelling older adults. These feasibility study findings support the need for additional research using dance-based therapy for older adults with lower extremity pain.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA. Electronic address: jkrampe@slu.edu.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krampe
authors.affiliation: Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University, USA.
authors.forename: Joanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Doisy College of Health Sciences, Saint Louis University, USA.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hawthorne
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanazaro
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
authors.forename: Choochart
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wong-Anuchit
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
authors.forename: Chakra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Budhathoki
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
authors.forename: Soren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raaf
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003615:Dancing; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male
keywords: Chronic lower extremity pain; Dance-based therapy; Gait speed; Older adults