Adapted dance used in subacute rehabilitation post-stroke: impacts perceived by patients, relatives and rehabilitation therapists

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the perceived impacts of an adapted-dance group intervention when added to intensive functional rehabilitation post-stroke.

Method: In this exploratory qualitative case study, semi-structured interviews were analyzed using a deliberative inductive logic and referring to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Participants were patients in rehabilitation post-stroke (≤25 days) (n = 6), relatives (n = 4) and rehabilitation therapists (n = 12). Selection was on a voluntary basis. The intervention added to the patients’ rehabilitation program consisted of 55-minute bi-weekly sessions for 10 weeks.

Results: Three categories of perceived positive impacts emerged from the data: (1) mobility, (2) mental functions and personal factors (emotional functions, motivation and self-efficacy) and (3) interpersonal interactions and social life. A fourth category of perceived impacts involving exercise tolerance was both positive, in terms of general physical endurance, and negative, in terms of a feeling of increased fatigue.

Conclusion: Such an adapted-dance intervention holds promise in subacute rehabilitation post-stroke. Its main strength lies in its perceived positive impact on mental functions, personal factors, and interpersonal and social interactions.

Implications for rehabilitation

• An adapted-dance group intervention could offer an innovative means of contributing to intensive functional rehabilitation post-stroke by potentially generating positive perceived impacts on emotional functions, motivation and self-efficacy, as well as on interpersonal and social interactions.

• Adapted dance could be added to inpatients’ rehabilitation with only minor impacts on fatigue.

Keywords:

• Adapted dance
• stroke rehabilitation
• mobility
• mental functions
• self-efficacy
• interpersonal interactions

Acknowledgements

The authors greatly appreciate the time and thought that the participants put into the study, and the cooperation of the host institution.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Additional information

Funding

This study received financial support from the Université du Québec à Montréal for the purchase of audiovisual equipment and funding from the Institut Santé et Société for the English translation of this article.