Effect of dance movement therapy on balance in adults with Down Syndrome. A pilot study.

Systematic participation in dance therapy may improve balance and reduce risk of falls. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of dance therapy on balance and risk of falls in adults with Down syndrome. Study participants comprised 23 persons with Down syndrome aged 26- 49 years who underwent dance therapy. Before and after the therapy, all participants were measured on a BioSway balance platform using three tests: postural stability, limits of stability, and M-CTSIB fall risk. Mean result was lower following intervention (2.40 ± 1.81 vs. 1.65 ± 1.32; p = .006) in the postural stability test. The limits of stability test found a statistically significant difference (26.30 ± 8.99 vs. 37.90 ± 12.54; p < .001). The results of this study only partially supported the hypothesis that dance therapy improves balancing skills in adults with Down Syndrome.

Psychosocial and Health Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic Experienced by Staff Employed in Social Welfare Facilities in Poland and Spain.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a very significant negative impact on the physical and mental health of various professional groups. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the psychosocial and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by staff employed in social welfare institutions in Poland and Spain. The study involved 407 people, including 207 from Poland and 200 from Spain (346 women and 61 men), working in social care facilities. The research tool was the authors' questionnaire consisting of 23 closed-ended, single- or multiple-choice questions. The study has indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had negative health and psychosocial effects on employees of social welfare facilities. In addition, it has been shown that the severity of the psychosocial and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic differed between the countries studied. Employees from Spain statistically significantly more often declared deterioration in most of the surveyed indicators, except for mood deterioration, which was experienced more by employees from Poland than their peers from Spain.

Effect of different forms of physical activity on balance in older women.

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of two types of physical activity, dance, and general exercises, on balance in older women. Study participants comprised two groups of women. The participants attended 45-min DMT (n = 20) or GRE sessions (n = 19) three times per week for 12 weeks. Before and after the training, the participants underwent the Postural Stability Test, the Limits of Stability Test, and the Fall Risk Test. Improvement of the balance was confirmed for only one test both for the dance group and the general exercises group.