Dancing: More than a therapy for patients with venous insufficiency

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to figure out the effects of dance therapy on patients with chronic venous insufficiency disease. Methods: Forty subjects with chronic venous insufficiency were recruited to either the control group or the dance therapy group. As the severity of chronic venous insufficiency was defined with the Venous Clinical Severity Scores (VCSS), patients in control group received only medical treatment. Twenty patients with chronic venous insufficiency in dance therapy group received three times a week, for five weeks, totally 15 sessions of dance therapy in addition to medical treatment. Results: There was no significant difference in pre- and post-treatment results of Rivermead Index, VCSS parameters constipation complaint, assistive breath muscle activity, lower limb circumference, strength and range of motion between groups (p > 0.05). The remarkable result of this study was obtaining that the post-treatment quality of life scale’s bodily pain score was significantly higher in the dance therapy group than the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: It was concluded that dance therapy has positive effects on quality of life. There were no barriers to chronic venous insufficiency patients in this form of gentle exercise, showing that it is to meliorate the cardiovascular, physical and psychological benefits of an activity that is enhancing of the self-esteem in addition to the quality of life. Treatment of chronic venous insufficiency should consist of methods that support the patient mentally, physically and psychologically, in addition to the medical treatment. Dance therapy might be a potential exercise intervention for improvements in chronic venous insufficiency patients, so clinicians focusing on them could recommend this form of gentle exercise in addition to the medical treatment. © The Author(s) 2020.