Set dancing ‘helps with Parkinson’s symptoms’

An Italian doctor who saw the positive effect of set dancing on an Irishman with Parkinson’s disease, turned his observation into an international study whose findings will be presented this week in Co Clare.

Neurologist Dr Daniele Volpe, medical director at St John of God Hospital’s Parkinson’s Centre in Venice, is to return to the West Clare village of Feakle, where the seed for the study was sown when he noticed a man, shaking and unsteady from PD, drop his walking stick and dance fluidly to a reel played on the doctor’s guitar.

Dr Volpe was in Feakle playing music at a traditional festival when he witnessed the man’s remarkable improvement. It inspired him to set up a study to test the benefits of set dancing for his patients, which has grown into an international, multidisciplinary study.

“I have observed that Irish dance has some interesting features compared to other dances — a strong rhythm, it’s easy to learn, safety with a partner, it’s enjoyable, with a high social value,” said Dr Volpe. “Another specific aspect of Irish dance we observed was the reel step seems to help lower limb advancement during the swing phase of the gait cycle, and it is scientifically documented that PD patients have particular problems with this aspect of gait.”

PD patients took a six-month Irish set dancing course and, said Dr Volpe: “We documented significant improvements in mobility, balance, gait, and quality of life.”