Acute Physiological Effects of Greek Traditional Dancing

Acute Effects of Greek Traditional Dancing on Health, Performance and Muscle Damage Markers in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women: Implications of Dancing Tempo.

In Greece, people of different age groups, including young children to older adults, are involved in traditional dance. To date, the well-know benefits of dancing include entertainment, socialization and increased physical activity. However, the acute effects of Greek traditional dancing on health, physical performance and muscle damage indices remain largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this project is to evaluate the acute effect of Greek traditional dancing on health-, physical performance-, and muscle damage-related parameters by considering the impact of dancing tempo (slow vs moderate vs fast). In a crossover repeated measures design 10 pre- and 10 post-menopausal women will participate in the three dancing sessions of different tempo in a random order.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Menopause; Body Composition; Muscle Damage; Cardiovascular Health; Physical Performance
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Slow tempo; Other: Moderate tempo; Other: Fast tempo

Detailed Description

This study aims at determining the acute effect of Greek traditional dancing on health- and physical performance-related parameters by considering the impact of dancing tempo. Ten pre- and ten postmenopausal women meeting the inclusion criteria will be assigned to a crossover trial. Initially, participants will undergo baseline testing including (i) anthropometrics, (ii) body composition, (iii) physical performance, (iv) physical activity level and (v) dietary intake. After baseline measurements, a 7-day familiarization period will take place, during which participants will practice daily on the three experimental dances. Each dance will be characterized by a different tempo (beats per minute) so that there will be one dance from each tempo category (i.e. slow, moderate and fast). After familiarization, participants will execute in a random order the three dancing sessions, on separate days. Each dancing session will consist of one dance (of either slow or moderate or fast tempo) lasting ~ 3- 4 minutes. During each dance heart rate, oxygen consumption and activity intensity will be continuously monitored. Before and immediately after the dance systolic and diastolic blood pressure, perceived exertion and blood lactate will be measure. In addition, before each dance and at 24 and 48 hours post-dance muscle soreness, muscle strength and resting metabolic rate will be measured and a resting blood sample will be drawn for the assessment of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 20
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Dimitrios Draganidis, PhD; Phone Number: 2431047078; Email: ddraganidis@uth.gr
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Ioannis G Fatouros, PhD; Phone Number: 2431047047; Email: ifatouros@uth.gr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
• Abstain from vigorous physical activity and/or exercise during the last (at least) 6 months prior to the study.
• Free of musculoskeletal diseases and injuries.
• Free of cardiometabolic diseases.
• Free of mental health disorders
• No body weight loss >10% over the last 6 months prior to the study
• Non-smokers

Exclusion Criteria:

• Perimenopause and menopause women
• Participation vigorous physical activity and/or exercise during the last (at least) 6 months prior to the study
• Presence of musculoskeletal diseases and injuries.
• Presence of cardiometabolic diseases.
• Presence of mental health disorders
• Body weight loss >10% over the last 6 months prior to the study
• Smokers

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Pre-menopausal women; Pre-menopausal healthy, inactive women that will participate in a random order in three dancing sessions (Greek traditional dancing) of different tempo on non-consecutive days.	Other: Slow tempo; A single Greek traditional dance of slow tempo lasting 3-4 minutes.; Other: Moderate tempo; A single Greek traditional dance of moderate tempo lasting 3-4 minutes.; Other: Fast tempo; A single Greek traditional dance of fast tempo lasting 3-4 minutes.
Experimental: Post-menopausal; Post-menopausal healthy, inactive women that will participate in a random order in three dancing sessions (Greek traditional dancing) of different tempo on non-consecutive days.	Other: Slow tempo; A single Greek traditional dance of slow tempo lasting 3-4 minutes.; Other: Moderate tempo; A single Greek traditional dance of moderate tempo lasting 3-4 minutes.; Other: Fast tempo; A single Greek traditional dance of fast tempo lasting 3-4 minutes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in blood pressure	Systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be measured using a blood pressure cuff	At baseline and immediately after the dance
Change in perceived exertion	Perceived exertion will be rated using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion scale, a numerical scale that ranges from 6 (no exertion) to 20 (maximum effort).	At baseline and immediately after the dance
Change in blood lactate	Blood lactate will be measured on a portable, automatic lactate analyser using the relevant strips	At baseline and immediately after the dance
Change in resting metabolic rate	Resting metabolic rate (kcal) will be assessed using a portable open-circuit indirect calorimeter with a ventilated hood system	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in delayed-onset of muscle soreness (DOMS)	DOMS of the knee extensors and flexors of both limbs will be evaluated by palpation of the relaxed muscle's belly and distal region with participants rating the perceived soreness on a visual analogue scale ranging from 1 to 10.	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in maximal isometric voluntary contraction	Maximal isometric voluntary contraction of the knee extensors and flexors of both limbs will be assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer.	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in joint range of motion	Knee joint range of motion will be assessed using a manual goniometer	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in functional performance	Functional performance will be assessed using the movement-based screening tool functional movement screen (FMS)	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in white blood cell count	White blood cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in granulocyte count	Granulocyte count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in lymphocytes	Lymphocytes will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in monocytes	Monocytes will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in creatine kinase concentration	Creatine kinase will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer and commercially available kits	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in reduced glutathione	Reduced glutathione will be measured spectrophotometrically in red blood cells	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in oxidized glutathione	Oxidized glutathione will be measured spectrophotometrically in red blood cells	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in catalase activity	Catalase activity will be measured spectrophotometrically in red blood cells	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in protein carbonyls	Protein carbonyls will be measured spectrophotometrically in red blood cells	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in total antioxidant capacity	Total antioxidant capacity will be measured spectrophotometrically in plasma	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in heart rate	Heart rate will be continuously monitored using heart rate sensors	Through dance session completion, an average of 30 minutes
Change in oxygen consumption	Oxygen consumption will be continuously monitored using a portable metabolic system.	Through dance session completion, an average of 30 minutes
Change in physical activity	The number of steps performed will be assessed using an accelerometer (ActiGraph Gt3x)	Through dance session completion, an average of 30 minutes

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in red blood cell count	Red blood cell count will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in hematocrit	Hematocrit will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance
Change in hemoglobin	Hemoglobin will be measured using an automatic blood analyzer	At baseline and at 24 hours and 48 hours after the dance

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Thessaly
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Dimitrios Draganidis, PhD, University of Thessaly, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): April 10, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): October 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 14, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): February 15, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 9, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 7, 2024
• Last Verified: April 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: postmenopausal women; premenopausal women; Greek traditional dancing; dancing tempo
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Gastrointestinal Agents; Protective Agents; Antioxidants; Antacids; TEMPO; Aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, simethicone drug combination
• Other Study ID Numbers: Greek Dancing-UTH

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No