Validity of the Low-Impact Dance for exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the oxygen uptake in patients with cardiovascular disease during the low-impact dance program and to compare the findings with the values at peak oxygen uptake (VO2) and aerobic threshold (AT). METHODS: The study included 19 patients with cardiovascular disease age, 68.3±8.7 years; left-ventricular ejection fraction, 60.3%±8.7%; peak VO2, 6.6±1.1 metabolic equivalents (METs) who were receiving optimal medical treatment. Their heart rate and VO2 were monitored during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and during the low impact dance. The dance involved low-impact dynamic sequences. The patients completed two patterns of low-impact dance, and metabolic gas exchange measurements were obtained using a portable ergospirometry carried in a backpack during the dance sessions. RESULTS: The mean values of VO2 (4.0±0.2 METs and 3.9±0.3 METs) and those of heart rate (105.2±2.9 bpm and 96.8±2.6 bpm) during the dance program were not significantly differ from the AT value (4.5±0.2 METs) obtained in CPET. The median (and interquartile range) RPE reported after the dance exercise trials was 11 (9-13). No signs of overexertion were observed in any of the patients during either dance exercise trial. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that it is reasonable to consider the low-impact dance program as an aerobic exercise program in cardiac rehabilitation. Our findings have important implications for exercise training programs in the cardiac rehabilitation setting and for future studies.