There has been a lot of buzz about the effects that the tango has had on improving balance and mobility.
One researcher, Madeline E. Hackney, a pre-doctoral trainee in movement science, states that the community factor that involves the tango is what makes it such a success. I’ve learned that the community factor of any physical therapy/program can make the biggest difference in having success. While I was training for my first marathon race I had a friend, who happened to be an all-American runner, train with me. He helped me to find consistency when it was easy to miss a day running. Because he pushed me I was able to push myself and finish my first grueling marathon. The same aspect is applied to the tango and to other activities that have a community aspect. The people around you can really make the biggest difference in what you get out of the physical exercise, but there are other reasons why tango lessons may be very effective.
“Researchers at the Washington University in St. Louis medical school compared the benefits of tango lessons over exercise classes, which are a more traditional form of mobility therapy for Parkinson’s sufferers. While it was found that both forms of therapy improved mobility, the tango group showed a marked improvement in balance over the exercise group. The study was published in the Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy” (www.mcknights.com).
