Coordinations Research

Working Title:
Optimising Fluid Motion: Dynamic Coordination Patterns as a Coaching and Mechanical Loading Tool

The following literature review explores how dance integrates mind and body, promoting neuroplasticity and holistic well-being as crucial for rehabilitation (Teixeira-Machado et al., 2019; Hincapié-Sánchez et al., 2021). Incorporating complex, multi-joint movement sequences aligns with phenomenological perspectives in emphasising embodied, lived experiences (Halák & Kříž, 2022; Merleau-Ponty, 2004) and could not only improve exercise adherence, a known challenge in rehabilitation (Sluijs et al., 1993), but also potentially enhance enjoyment, which is an important motivator for sustained participation (Angel, 2018). Moreover, the literature indicates these dynamic patterns may provide valuable mechanical loading that supports tendon adaptation and structural tissue organisation (Pierantoni et al., 2023) essential for recovery and injury prevention. Bridging dance arts and healthcare through an ecological dynamics approach (Seifert et al., 2022), this research pulls insight from various fields to further develop holistic, embodied methodologies for coaching and rehabilitation ation. This could benefit both the talent development of dancers and injury prevention for athletes (Koplan et al., 1995).

The Dancing Body

Dance, a primordial human expression synchronising mind and body, promotes holistic integration (emotional, cognitive, physical, and social) through learned motor sequences, implicit memory, attentional control, timing, and physical exertion. Dance practice enhances neuroplasticity (Teixeira-Machado et al., 2019), with systematic reviews highlighting its effectiveness in improving quality of life and motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s, and spinal cord injuries (Hincapié-Sánchez et al., 2021). Despite these benefits, Western medicine's dualistic view separating body and mind can lead to fragmented methodologies, limiting efficient treatment strategies and potentially resulting in inadequate recovery rates and reinjury (Stewart, 2015).

Incorporating complex movement sequences aligns with the phenomenological aspect of physical therapy (Halák & Kříž, 2022) and Merleau-Ponty’s concept of motor intentionality (Baldwin, 20). 03). Research shows that a lack of adherence to physiotherapy exercises increases healthcare burdens and prolongs recovery (Sluijs et al., 19). 93). Joy and passion were found to drive physical activity participation, with Sanne Angel (2018) suggesting that integrating novel movement sequences could enhance enjoyment and improve adhere. While this research does not delve into neurological adaptations for learning new movements, mastering complex tasks is crucial for neural plasticity in motor learning, raising the question of whether dynamic nonlinear coordination patterns could facilitate this process ess. Collaborations with neuroscientists could provide valuable insights for developing holistic movement pedagogy in managing neurological conditions ons.

Gravity exerts profound influence on the nervous system, guiding optimal movement pathways by harnessing its force to reduce muscular exertion, resulting in direction-based kinematic variations. Research suggests the brain utilises an internal model to enforce control strategies that capitalise on gravity (Gaveau et al., 2016), although further investigation into the neural mechanisms behind this optimisation process is needed, particularly for developing rehabilitation technologies. When properly directing gravity into the elastic fibres of myofascial structures during multi-planar, multi-joint coordination, the body can harness its weight with minimal effort and maximum fluidity, enabling efficient movement (Latash et al., 2010).

Humans tend to use minimum-cost movements, indicating a preference for energetically economical posture sequences (Liu & Ballard, 2021), with local muscle fatigue and effort dictating walking behaviour and its evolution (McDonald et al., 2022). This inherent tendency raises questions about whether current standardized rehabilitation protocols effectively prepare both dancer and non-dancer populations for life's demands. In novice practitioners accustomed to linear training, one might expect to observe more muscular effort and less fluidity when performing complex, multi-joint, multi-planar movements. By incorporating intricate dance sequences that exploit gravity’s influence, individuals could potentially widen their field of affordances, following an ecological-enactive approach (Varela et al., 2017), to mitigate future injury and reduce recovery time in dancers and athletes with primarily linear training habits.

I then go on to discuss biomechanics and wearable measurement tools (Electromyography and Inertia Measurement Units in my case) as tools for measuring movement fluidity. And finish the lit review with the following passage:

Bridging the Gap

Examining the intersection between dance and sport offers an opportunity to remove boundaries, enhancing both forms of physical activity (Markula, 2018), aiming to improve human performance and bridge the gap between dance arts and healthcare. In real-life situations, individuals must be ready to adapt and reconfigure their structure quickly. Ecological dynamics views humans as complex systems whose movements self-organize based on the dynamic interplay between individual constraints, action capabilities and environmental affordances (Seifert et al., 2022). This research proposes using dance-based coordination patterns, including walking, arm swinging, cross-lateral, and bilateral movements, multi-angle approaches, directional changes, and speeds, with shifting qualities and rhythms to reconnect an individual to full-body elastic movement principles, reflecting the complexity of everyday life. The author has observed improvement in physical and psychological states in non-dance clinical settings and believes this research could positively impact multiple domains. Benefits for talent development in young dancers and injury mitigation across ages are potential avenues for further research.

Full reference list available on request.