Dancing at Home Helps Older Women Stay Safe from Falls

Falls are a major problem for older adults, especially women. Only four percent of older Canadian women get the recommended 30 minutes of daily exercise. Researchers have discovered that online dance classes can help older women improve their balance and reduce their risk of falling.

A PhD student at Concordia University is developing fun balance-training programs using online dance classes. Dance works well because it feels like entertainment rather than exercise. Studies show that dance helps people make social connections, improves mood, and helps with thinking skills while also improving mobility and walking abilities.

Dance is excellent for balance training because learning dance steps requires precise movements. This helps increase proprioception, which is how we sense our body's movement and position in space. Better body awareness leads to improved postural stability, or our ability to stay upright and control our body's position.

Our balance depends on several body systems working together. Our eyes help us see obstacles that could cause trips and falls. The inner ear system helps with our sense of direction and hearing. The somatosensory system includes our sense of touch, pain, temperature, and body position, helping us feel what's under our feet.

As people age, their postural stability decreases because these sensory systems change. Scientists measure balance by having people stand still and observing how much they sway. People who sway more are considered less stable and at higher risk of falling. This is why balance training becomes increasingly important with age.

While in-person dance classes have shown improvements in balance and fall risk, these classes are often hard to access. Many older women face barriers like lack of transportation, caregiver responsibilities at home, or inaccessible facilities. Specialized dance teachers are usually only found in larger cities, making online classes a solution for better access.