ABSTRACT
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of central nervous system (CNS), characterized by the presence of multifocal demyelination plaques with characteristic symptoms as fatigue, balance disorder, reduced endurance in gait and decrease in quality of life. The study supposed that the motor treatment through dance could represent useful therapeutic option, together with other treatments already in use such as the pharmacological and physiotherapy one. We included 9 person (6 male and 3 female) affected by relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) with an expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score less than 3, underwent rehabilitation treatment with Argentine Tango (Riabilitango®method). The study lasted twenty months, considering a sixty-minute session a week. The aim of the study was to verify the real improvement of quality of life, fatigue, balance disorder and gait endurance due to the dance treatment. We collected outcomes data of Short Form 36 (SF-36) in physical function (PF) (45.56 ± 21.42 vs. 69.44 ± 23.64), vitality (VT) (45.00 ± 7.90 vs. 67.77 ± 6.18), social function (SF) (54.00 ± 13.86 vs. 75.11 ± 6.25), general health (GH) (32.22 ± 5.06 vs. 54.11 ± 5.20); Modified fatigue impact test scales (MFSI) (3.56 ± 3.72 vs. 37.22 ± 3.88); Berg balance scale (BBS-it) (33.89 ± 4.12 vs. 45.11 ± 3.51); Six Minute Walk Test (6mWT), in distance (m) (352.89 ± 174.56 vs. 397.22 ± 174.83), oxygen saturation in arterial blood (%SpO2) (87.67 ± 3.35 vs. 91.78 ± 5.92) and beast per minute (bpm) (82.67 ± 13.08 vs. 72.67 ± 10.52). We found statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvements in each evaluation scale. In conclusion, despite the small sample size included, the results confirm that Riabilitango®significantly leads to better functional performances in person affected by RRMS with EDSS less then 3, finding benefits in terms of quality of life. Data suggest that integration between dance treatment method and the pharmacological, could represent the useful approach.