Effects of Ballroom dancing in older adults: systematic review

Abstract

The combination of scientific progress and improvement of public health status, housing and working conditions has led to a decrease in birth and death rates and an increase of the average life expectancy. As a result the world’s population is aging (NIS – “Projections of resident population from 2012 to 2060.”). This scenario urged the need to promote a healthy and active aging among the population through physical activity programs, for example cardiorespiratory, neuromotor, flexibility and endurance exercises. (Garber, et al. 2011). Ballroom dancing is an activity that combines cardiorespiratory, endurance, balance, coordination and flexibility training activities. Systematic revision is a very accurate way of summarising data and determining the methodologic quality of various research articles. Here we present the first systematic review of studies that investigated the effects of ballroom dancing on aging population. To assess the effectiveness of ballroom dancing in promoting healthy aging in the elderly. We searched 6 databases (Scielo, PEDro, Lilacs, PubMed, SportDiscus and Medline) for published research on the topic of ballroom dancing in the elderly using a selection of keywords: Dance, Ballroom, Elderly, Older adults, Age, Dança, Danças de Salão, Idoso e Sénior. The studies were selected according to the inclusion criterions and the quality and the strength of the evidence reported were assessed. Specifically, the methodological quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and the strength of the evidence using an evidence synthesis grading system (Van Tulder, et al. 1997). Four articles were evaluated according to the PEDro scale, which obtained a mean score of 4.75, i.e. a low methodological quality. The papers showed improvements in terms of balance (3 of 4 articles analysed), strength, overall fitness, cognitive function, autonomy or gait speed. This systematic review showed, although with limited evidence, that ballroom dancing promotes the improvement of several variables such as balance, overall physical condition and gait. It is clear that the effects of Ballroom Dancing as a promoter of healthy aging, although a very promising area of research given the current status of the developed world’s population, is still in its infancy.