Dance for People with Cancer

Anna Leatherdale

Dance for Cancer Patients• Anna Leatherdale –

dance artist• Dr Ute Scholl – medical

practitioner

Regional project led by Dance in Devon, supported by the Peninsula Cancer Network and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Common side effects of cancer treatment

Post-treatment fatigue Depression Bone loss Decreased level of muscular strength Decreased aerobic capacity Increased weight gain Impaired quality of life Disturbed body image

Research evidence indicates that regular participation in physical activity after cancer diagnosis might mitigate some of the common side effects of cancer treatment:

• Fatigue• Depression• Impaired quality of life• Decreased muscular

strength• Decreased aerobic

capacity• Weight gain

Recommended Exercise prescription for people with cancer1,5,6

Exercise type Frequency Intensity Time

Aerobic 3-5 days/week Low-moderate

40-60% Heart Rate Reserve (HRR)

20-60 minute sessions

Resistance 3 days/week with 48 hours between sessions that use the same muscle groups

Low intensity to start, then progress intensity level

1-3 sets of 10-12 repetitions involving 8-10 muscle groups

Flexibility 5-7 days/week To level of tension, stop before discomfort

10-30 seconds/stretch

Regular exercise?

What does dance have to offer? Increasing

people’s motivation to participate in physical activity and maintain that participation, because they see dance as fun, expressive, non-competitive and sociable.

What else dance has to offerVarietyRange of motionImproved body perceptionReduced stress, anxiety and depressionImproved quality of lifeLess isolationIncreased communication skillsDecrease in chronic painIncreased feeling of well-being

Assisting recovery from illness, reduce pain and the perception of pain- breast cancer patients increased their ROM (range of motion) in their

involved shoulder by 15% during a 13 week dance programme and at 26 weeks had increased this by 26% (Sandel et al, 2005)

61% of 131 participants reporting chronic pain reported that their complaints were lessened after dancing in comparison to days when they did not dance (Murcia et al, 2010)

Improving quality of life: Breast cancer patients increased their Quality of Life Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-

B) score by 14.7 points during a 13 week dance programme (against ‘no change’ in a wait group) and maintained this for a

further 13 weeks (Sandel et al, 2005)

Social interaction and non-medical touch

Participants reported an increased motivation toward exercise because of being with peers and social activities on an AIMS subscale showed significant improvement (Noreau et al, 1997)

Evidence suggests that regular physical activity:

• Plays an important role in prevention of cancer

• Reduces risk of death from the disease

• Improves common side effects of cancer treatment

• Improves quality of life• Reduces stress, anxiety and

depression

References1. Ness KK, Wall MM, Oakes JM et al. (2006) Physical performance limitations and participation restrictions

among cancer survivors: a population-based study. Ann Epidemiol;16:197-205.2. Bicego D, Brown K, Ruddick M et al. (2009) Effects of exercise on quality of life in women living with breast

cancer: a systematic review. Breast J;15(1):45-51.3. Holmes MD, Chen WY, Feskanich D et al. (2005) Physical activity and survival after breast cancer diagnosis.

JAMA;293(20):2479-2486.4. Meyerhardt JA, Giovannucci EL, Holmes MD et al. (2006) Physical activity and survival after colorectal

cancer diagnosis. J Clin Oncol;24(22):3527-3534.5. Myers J, Nieman D, eds. (2010) ACSM’s resources for clinical exercise physiology, musculoskeletal,

neuromuscular, neoplastic, immunologic and hematologic conditions. 2nd ed. Phi;Adelphia PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

6. Schmitz KH, Courneya KS, Matthews C et al. (2010) American College of Sports Medicine roundtable on exercise guidelines for cancer survivors. Med Sci Sports Exerc;42(7):409-426.

7.Courneya KS, Blanchard CM, Laing DM. (2001) Exercise adherence in breast cancer survivors training for a dragon boat race competition: a preliminary investigation. Psycho-Oncology;10:444-452.

8. Judge JO. (2003) Balance training to maintain mobility and prevent disability. Am J Prevent Med;25:150-156.9. Belardinelli R, Lacalaprice F, Ventrella C, Volpe L, Faccenda E. (2008) Waltz dancing in patients with chronic

heart failure: new form of exercise training. Circulation Heart Failure;1:107-114.10. Sandel SL, Judge JO, Landry N, Faria L, Ouellette R, Majczak M. (2005) Dance and movement program

improves quality of life measures in breast cancer survivors. Cancer Nursing;28(4):301-309.11. Markes M, Brockow T, Resch KL. Exercise for women receiving adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.

Cochrane Database ofSystematic Reviews 2006, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD005001. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005001.pub2.12. Loprinzi PD, Cardinal BJ. Effects of physical activity on common side effects of breast cancer treatment.

Breast Cancer (2012) 19:4–10.13. Carmichael AR, Daley AJ, Rea DW, Bowden SJ. Physical activity and breast cancer outcome: A brief

review of evidence, current practice and future direction. EJSO 36 (2010) 1139-1148.

·         Symptomatic heart failure·         Inflammation of the heart (myocarditis)·         Recent heart attack (Myocardial infarction)·         Acute infection·         Thyroid problems·         Psychosis·         Intravenous chemotherapy within previous 24 hours·         Severe anaemia (Haemoglobin < 8g/dl)·         Acute onset of nausea during exercise

Beware: ·         Indwelling catheters: risk of dislodgement

Peripheral neuropathy: Loss of balance

Contraindication of physical activity in individuals with cancer