Remedial Exercise and Dancing
When one or more groups of muscles have become weakened as a result of misuse or disease, it is proper to engage them in strengthening gymnastics called remedial exercises. Although these can frequently be given to groups, the groups are ordinarily small. The nature of these exercises and their administration may lead to boredom rapidly. Soft music can be used as an antidote to their monotony. Those exercises for the correction of spinal deformity which require crawling and free swinging are well adapted to musical accompaniment, and exercise in the form of the dance used for correction or maintenance of good posture is undoubtedly enhanced by background music.
Although not in common use for such purpose, ballroom and tap-dancing could be used to advantage in selected groups of patients for the improvement of disabilities of the ankles, knees and hips. Modern or interpretative dancing may in like manner be used for upper extremity strengthening and co-ordination.