Abstract
The aim of the study was to define the effect of different short-term metro-rhythmic stimulations on the time and spatial parameters of gait. The secondary goal was to test whether prior instructions on how to respond to stimulations played a significant role in the stimulation by sound stimuli. Experimental tests of gait were conducted on a group of 36 healthy participants: group 1—subjects who were not informed how to react after hearing sound stimuli, group 2—subjects who received a clear instruction before the test to adjust the frequency of taking steps to the rhythm of the music. The gait research was carried out on a Zebris FDM-S (zebris Medical Gmbh, Isny, Germany) treadmill for various sound stimuli (arrhythmic stimulus, rhythmic stimuli at different rate). It was shown that a short-term influence of metro-rhythmic stimulations changes the time and spatial parameters of gait, i.e., gait frequency, length and duration of the gait cycle. The greatest impact on the modification of the time–space parameters of walking is exerted by rhythmic stimuli at a pace different from the frequency of gait at a preferred velocity. Providing information on how to respond to sounds heard may be important in gait therapy with RAS (rhythmic auditory stimulation).
Highlights
The human body’s nervous system is an essential component responsible for balance and locomotion, allowing for the gait’s complex motor activity
Summarizing, a much higher variability of the analyzed parameters of gait was noted in group 2, i.e., in the subjects who received clear prior instructions to try to walk to the rhythm of the music after hearing the metro-rhythmic stimuli
The results obtained in this study indicate that the short-term metro-rhythmic stimuli affect the change of time and spatial parameters of gait, on the frequency of gait, length and time of the gait cycle
Summary
The human body’s nervous system is an essential component responsible for balance and locomotion, allowing for the gait’s complex motor activity. Statistics presented by the World Health Organization show that about 10% of the population between the ages of 60 and 69, and more than 60% over 80, suffer from a gait disorder [1]. These data present how locomotor disorders are a global problem, most often occurring as a consequence of diseases and conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), stroke, muscular dystrophy or multiple sclerosis (MS) [2]. Gait or balance pathologies cannot be fully cured, so it is essential to build on existing methods and look for new ones to restore motor skills to the highest possible level. There is an increasing trend to use specialized rehabilitation equipment to improve patients [4]
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