Kinematic analysis of dance-based exergaming: effect of song pace on center of mass and joint mobility.
Ernest Kwesi Ofori, Savitha Subramaniam, Shuaijie Wang and 1 others
PMID 31631943WHAT IT FOUND
In 14 healthy young adults dancing to Just Dance, slow songs produced larger total sway, while fast songs produced more side-to-side than front-to-back movement and more steps.
Pace changed movement patterns, but did not prove clinical benefit.
Key findings
01Slow-paced dancing produced the largest total sway area, and medium-paced dancing produced the smallest total center-of-mass travel.
02Fast-paced dancing produced more steps than slow- or medium-paced dancing, and greater ankle joint excursion than slow- or medium-paced dancing.
03Medium-paced dancing produced larger hip and knee joint excursions than slow-paced dancing.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 14 participants were analysed after one was excluded for missing marker data. All participants were healthy young adults who were not professional dancers, so the results may not apply to older adults, people with neurological conditions, or patients with balance or mobility problems. The study used only three hip-hop songs from one Just Dance platform, so other dance genres, songs, and systems may produce different movement patterns. The outcomes were lab-based movement measurements, not clinical balance, gait, fall, or function outcomes. The sample-size calculation was based on a sub-sample of 3 participants, and the study was a single 60-minute session. The authors' suggestions about sit-to-stand, stair climbing, gait training, and fall-risk assessment are not supported by tested clinical outcomes in this paper.
Declared interests
There was no funding for this study, and the authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Just Dance at a chosen pace improves balance or gait in patients. This study measured movement patterns in 14 healthy young adults during one lab session, not clinical outcomes or treatment effects.