Walking with rhythmic auditory stimulation in chronic patients after stroke: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Movement Science
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Gait training (GT) is crucial for stroke recovery.
• Limited research exists on outpatient GT interventions for chronic stroke patients.
• Evaluating novel GT approaches like rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of two outpatient gait training programs in chronic stroke survivors.
• To assess the impact of rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) integrated into gait training.

Main Methods:

• Randomized trial with 12 chronic stroke patients (mean age 67).
• Two groups: 4-week overground GT with RAS vs. overground GT without RAS.
• Primary outcomes: walking velocity and capacity; Secondary: Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and stride length.

Main Results:

• Both groups improved walking velocity, capacity, BBS, and stride length from baseline.
• No significant differences were found between the RAS and GT groups for any primary or secondary outcomes.
• Improvements in walking velocity (RAS: 0.05 m/s, GT: 0.12 m/s) and capacity (RAS: 14 m, GT: 41 m) were observed.

Conclusions:

• Outpatient gait training, with or without RAS, improves walking in chronic stroke patients.
• Rhythmic auditory stimulation does not offer additional benefits over conventional gait training for improving walking outcomes in this population.