Movement for multiple sclerosis: a multi-site partnership for practice and research

ABSTRACT

While dance programs for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been developed globally over the past two decades, dance programs for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are just emerging. This article introduces three dance for MS programs and a multi-site partnership that was developed to evaluate and advance a model for dance for MS programs. The program partners convened over 2 days to share program models, consider current and planned program evaluations, and identify unique challenges and promising practices for delivering safe and effective dance for MS programs. This paper presents the findings of this convening and recommendations for dance for MS programs.

Background:While dance programs for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been developed globally over the past two decades, dance programs for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are just emerging. This article introduces three dance for MS programs and a multi-site partnership that was developed to evaluate and advance a model for dance for MS programs.

Methods: The program partners convened over 2 days to share program models, consider current and planned program evaluations, and identify unique challenges and promising practices for delivering safe and effective dance for MS programs.

Results:A set of promising practices for dance for MS programs, including recommendations for partnership, dance and movement approaches, and environmental, physical and psychosocial considerations, was developed by the program partners.

Conclusions: These programs suggest that dance may be a useful modality for people with MS. Recommendations are offered to guide safe and evidence-based dance for MS practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Dance
• movement
• multiple sclerosis
• arts in health

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the following individuals for their significant contributions to the project: Morgan Kulesza, Erika Mitchell, Alison Waldman, Elena Kindy, Steven Roth, Tiffany Stott, Lisa Sinclair, Whitney Wilson and Movement for MS participants*

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.