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The effect of ballroom dance on balance and functional autonomy among the isolated elderly

2012; Elsevier BV; Volume: 55; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.archger.2011.09.004

1872-6976

Eliane Gomes da Silva Borges, Samária Ali Cader, Rodrigo Gomes de Souza Vale, Thales Henrique Pires Cruz, Mauro César Gurgel de Alencar Carvalho, Francisco Miguel Pinto, Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas,

Cerebral Palsy and Movement Disorders

The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of a ballroom dancing program on the functional autonomy and physical balance of institutionalized elderly individuals. The study enrolled 75 sedentary elderly subjects from long-term institutions who were randomly divided into a ballroom dance program group (EG; n=39) and a control group (CG; n=36). The protocol of the Latin American Group for Maturity (GDLAM) was used to evaluate functional autonomy. Physical balance was analyzed using a stabilometer and posture meter platforms. The level of significance in statistical tests was set at p<0.05. Regarding the physical balance evaluation, only the members of the EG achieved a significant reduction in weight (Δ=-0.98 kg) following the experiment, both in the intragroup (p=0.002) and in the intergroup analysis (p=0.012). In the evaluation of functional autonomy, only the EG showed a significant reduction in the execution time of all the tests and in the GDLAM index: GI (Δ=-6.99), both in the intragroup (p<0.001) and in the intergroup analysis (p=0.011). Thus, it can be inferred that sedentary elderly individuals who are residents of long-term institutions can improve their functional autonomy and balance with a ballroom dance program.