New research centre at Midland's Chigamik a first for Canada

Relationship between dance, movement and treatment of chronic pain to be studied

Dance therapy at Chigamik in Midland offers relief from chronic pain

Ian Burns photo

Rebecca Barnstaple (in grey) leads a dance movement therapy class at Chigamik Community Health Centre. She said the movement fostered through dance helps rewire the parts of the brain that process pain.

Midland Mirror

By Ian Burns

Midland’s Chigamik Community Health Centre will be the home for Canada’s first research centre looking at the effects of dance and movement on chronic pain.

The Centre for Applied NeuroDance Research (CANDR) is a collaboration between Chigamik staff and researchers from Toronto’s York University.

Chigamik executive director David Jeffery said he hopes the new research will help advance the use of complementary approaches such as dance for the management of chronic pain.

“The research centre will bring together science, health care and research partners dedicated to improving the lives of those dealing with chronic pain through dance,” he said.

“The areas of the brain involved in processing pain are also implicated in touch, emotion, memory, imagination — all of which are central to dance. Becoming engaged in dance triggers learning and rewiring in the brain.”

Chigamik began offering a class in dance and movement therapy last year. It was led by Midland native Rebecca Barnstaple, who said dance movement therapy fosters neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change and adapt.

“The areas of the brain involved in processing pain are also implicated in touch, emotion, memory, imagination — all of which are central to dance,” she explained. “Becoming engaged in dance triggers learning and rewiring in the brain.”

The first research study begins in February and will investigate how dance can benefit people with chronic pain. It will look at changes in neural activity, perception of pain, and overall health and well-being.

For more information, visit chigamik.ca or call 705-543-9670.

joeLAB.com

Tuesday, January 17, 2017