Taipei Neurological Center Promotes Dance Therapy to Help Parkinson's Patients Regain Body Rhythm
The Taipei Neurological Center has introduced "Dance for PD®," a non-pharmacological adjunctive therapy using music and rhythm to help Parkinson's patients improve physical stiffness and regain their balance.
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- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 16:11
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Reporter Shen Pei-ju, Taipei, 18th) Medication controls the condition, but dance is also a good prescription for Parkinson's disease. The Taipei Neurological Center promotes "dance adjunctive therapy," combining clinical rehabilitation with musical rhythm to allow patients to improve physical stiffness in the melody, regain their lost body rhythm, and enhance their quality of life.
Facing an increasing number of Parkinson's patients year by year, the Taipei Neurological Center, part of the Taipei Medical University system, held a "Dancing Parkinson's" presentation today. It introduced the internationally evidenced Dance for PD® adjunctive therapy concept. This innovative model breaks the cold constraints of clinic treatments, opening a new chapter of "non-pharmacological intervention" care for neurodegenerative diseases, hoping to accompany patients in improving their quality of life in a warm rhythm.
"Parkinson's disease is a progressive disease, with main symptoms including bradykinesia, limb stiffness, tremors, and balance difficulties," Yeh Chun-Hsueh, Vice Superintendent of Taipei Neurological Center and Chairman of the Taiwan Movement Disorder Society, pointed out in a media interview before the event. According to statistics, over 8.5 million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson's disease. In Taiwan, the number of patients is close to 80,000, with over 2,000 new cases added every year.
As Taiwan officially enters a super-aging society, 1 in 5 people is a senior over 65. Yeh stated that the prevalence rate among those over 65 is about 1 to 2%, which cannot be ignored; the proportion among those over 80 is even higher, making it a significant public health issue.
Yeh explained that past rehabilitation mostly focused on standardized training like cycling or Tai Chi, but international medicine has increasingly valued the adjunctive effects of "non-pharmacological interventions" in recent years. Among them, Dance for PD® drives body movements through music and rhythm, which can stimulate dopamine secretion in the brain, helping to improve motor control and gait stability, effectively activating the patients' body and mind.
This time, art experts were specially invited to design a set of rehabilitative dance movements tailored to the patients' needs. "This is not just dancing; it's a deep training," Yeh emphasized, hoping to let patients improve muscle stiffness and balance problems through rhythm in their daily lives.
Although dance has positive adjunctive effects, Yeh reminded that this is an "adjunctive therapy," and patients must still maintain regular medication. They will cooperate with the Office of Continuing and Extension Education at Taipei Medical University to launch the "Miracle of Dance" course in June, encouraging family members to participate together and establish a home co-practice model, extending treatment from medical venues to daily life.
Chiang Yung-Hsiao, Superintendent of the Taipei Neurological Center, said in his speech, "Medical care should not stop in the clinic; health care is shifting from single treatments to integrated holistic care." Under professional guidance and safe design, combining dance art with rehabilitation and physical therapy will guide patients and seniors to regain physical confidence through rhythm. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150418
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(Central News Agency, Reporter Shen Pei-ju, Taipei, 18th) Medication controls the condition, but dance is also a good prescription for Parkinson's disease. The Taipei Neurological Center promotes "dance adjunctive therapy," combining clinical rehabilitation with musical rhythm to allow patients to improve physical stiffness in the melody, regain their lost body rhythm, and enhance their quality of life.
Facing an increasing number of Parkinson's patients year by year, the Taipei Neurological Center, part of the Taipei Medical University system, held a "Dancing Parkinson's" presentation today. It introduced the internationally evidenced Dance for PD® adjunctive therapy concept. This innovative model breaks the cold constraints of clinic treatments, opening a new chapter of "non-pharmacological intervention" care for neurodegenerative diseases, hoping to accompany patients in improving their quality of life in a warm rhythm.
"Parkinson's disease is a progressive disease, with main symptoms including bradykinesia, limb stiffness, tremors, and balance difficulties," Yeh Chun-Hsueh, Vice Superintendent of Taipei Neurological Center and Chairman of the Taiwan Movement Disorder Society, pointed out in a media interview before the event. According to statistics, over 8.5 million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson's disease. In Taiwan, the number of patients is close to 80,000, with over 2,000 new cases added every year.
As Taiwan officially enters a super-aging society, 1 in 5 people is a senior over 65. Yeh stated that the prevalence rate among those over 65 is about 1 to 2%, which cannot be ignored; the proportion among those over 80 is even higher, making it a significant public health issue.
Yeh explained that past rehabilitation mostly focused on standardized training like cycling or Tai Chi, but international medicine has increasingly valued the adjunctive effects of "non-pharmacological interventions" in recent years. Among them, Dance for PD® drives body movements through music and rhythm, which can stimulate dopamine secretion in the brain, helping to improve motor control and gait stability, effectively activating the patients' body and mind.
This time, art experts were specially invited to design a set of rehabilitative dance movements tailored to the patients' needs. "This is not just dancing; it's a deep training," Yeh emphasized, hoping to let patients improve muscle stiffness and balance problems through rhythm in their daily lives.
Although dance has positive adjunctive effects, Yeh reminded that this is an "adjunctive therapy," and patients must still maintain regular medication. They will cooperate with the Office of Continuing and Extension Education at Taipei Medical University to launch the "Miracle of Dance" course in June, encouraging family members to participate together and establish a home co-practice model, extending treatment from medical venues to daily life.
Chiang Yung-Hsiao, Superintendent of the Taipei Neurological Center, said in his speech, "Medical care should not stop in the clinic; health care is shifting from single treatments to integrated holistic care." Under professional guidance and safe design, combining dance art with rehabilitation and physical therapy will guide patients and seniors to regain physical confidence through rhythm. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150418
Choose to stand with the facts; every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the CNA 'First Hand News' APP to instantly grasp the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.