Outcomes of Group Dance and Movement Training in Ambulatory MS Patients

GroundWorks DanceTheater and Cleveland Clinic are partnering to create and offer an initial study of a dance movement-based community program for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The program will address major needs in the MS community including social-emotional well-being, body awareness, and motor function. GroundWorks artists will use a variety of widely accepted movement-based practices with the goal of improving upper and lower body function and overall well-being. By partnering, GroundWorks and Cleveland Clinic hope to encourage more study of the benefits of dance movement-based programming in individuals affected by MS.

GroundWorks DanceTheater and Cleveland Clinic are partnering to design and implement a pilot study of a dance movement-based community program for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The program is aimed at addressing major needs in the MS community including social-emotional well-being, body awareness, and motor function. GroundWorks artists will use a variety of movement-based practices including personalized tasks and imagery, mirroring, and inscription, with the goal of improving upper and lower extremity function, and well-being. Cleveland Clinic will assist GroundWorks in the selection, monitoring, and testing of the participants. Cleveland Clinic will also take the lead with data management and analysis. By partnering, GroundWorks and Cleveland Clinic hope to create a promising program that will lead to further exploring the impact of dance movement-based programming in individuals affected by MS.

Uncontrolled pre-post intervention study. All participants will complete 14 1-hour dance intervention sessions together as a single group

Dance movement-based sessions including personalized tasks and imagery, mirroring, and inscription, plus warm-up and cool down practices to ensure physical safety

This is a test of functional mobility, commonly used for people with MS. The test measures the time it takes for a person to stand up from a chair, walk 10 feet, turn around, walk back to the chair and sit down.

This is a widely used test of upper extremity function in people with MS. The test measures the time it takes for a person to pick up 9 pegs individually and place each one in one of 9 holes on a board and then take each one out, one at a time, and place the pegs back in the container.

This is a self-reported quality of life measure which has been validated in people with MS to assess positive affect and well-being.

This is a self-reported quality of life measure which has been validated in people with MS to assess mobility.

This is a self-reported quality of life measure which has been validated in people with MS to assess fine motor and ADLs.

Inclusion Criteria: age 18 to 65 inclusive diagnosis of MS (relapsing or progressive form) based on the revised MacDonald Criteria established by a neurologist self-reported upper and lower extremity dysfunction ability to walk safely without an assistive device (e.g. cane, walker) indoors and outdoors Exclusion Criteria: comorbidity (e.g. cardiac, respiratory, musculoskeletal) representing a contra-indication to the dance movement program exacerbation of MS within the past 60 days severe cognitive impairment clinically significant concern regarding the participant's ability to safely perform study procedures