Waltzing to Health Research

I recently saw a newpaper article that had a headline that read "Waltzing Helps Heart-Attack Patients as Much as Using Treatmill." The article related that Italian researchers had found that waltzing was just as effective as bicycle and treadmill training in improving exercise capacity in heart-failure patients. The article went on: "Dancers also reported slightly more improvement in sleep, mood, and the ability to do hobbies, do housework and have sex than the others."

"This may be a more effective way of getting people to exercise and may be more fun than running on a treadmill" stated one cardiologist. Because it is sometimes difficult to get people with heart problems to stick with exercise programs, dancing may prove to be an enjoyable means to obtain the exercise these people need.

I'll search around to see if I can locate the origional research study. If I can, I'll report on it. In the meanwhile, RTs may wish to suggest to their clients "Let's dance!"