Effects of Musical Rhythm on Psychophysiological Responses and Pacing Strategy During Treadmill Walking at a Self-Selected Pace

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine whether musical rhythms differentially influence psychophysiological responses and pacing strategy during treadmill walking at a self-selected pace. METHODS: Thirty sedentary women (age: 42.5 ± 5.3 yr, body mass index: 24.5 ± 2.8 kg, O2max: 28.3 ± 5.2 ml.kg-1.min-1) were randomly assigned into three groups: slow musical rhythm (G90bpm, n = 10), fast musical rhythm (G140bpm, n = 10) and no music or control group (CG, n = 10). There were not significant differences in anthropometric characteristics and maximal physiological responses to exercise test between the three groups. All participants were submitted to an anthropometric evaluation and a maximal graded treadmill test on their first visit to the laboratory. In the second session, they performed a 30-min treadmill walking bout at a self-selected pace, with or without musical stimuli. Physiological responses (oxygen uptake, O2) were continuously recorded throughout the 30-min self-paced walking bout, whereas exertional (OMNI-Walk/Run RPE Scale) and affective (Feeling Scale, Hardy & Rejeski, 1989) responses were assessed every 5 min. interval. RESULTS: Using repeated measures ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc test, self-selected walking speed was significantly faster in G140bpm (5.4 ± 0.7 km.h-1) than in G90bpm (4.8 ± 0.5 km.h-1) and CG (4.8 ± 0.3 km.h-1) (P <.05). However, physiological (49.4 ± 11.5, 63.2 ± 22.7, and 57.7 ± 20.8% O2 at-VT) and affective (2.6 ± 1.1, 2.0 ± 1.8, and 3.3 ± 0.7 for G90bpm, G140bpm, and CG, respectively) responses to self-paced walking bout did not differ between the groups. Conversely, perceptual responses were significantly higher in G140bpm (4.5 ± 1.2) than in G90bpm (3.1 ± 0.8) and CG (2.3 ± 0.9 km.h-1) (P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that musical rhythm influences pacing strategy and perceptual responses, but not physiological and affective responses during treadmill walking at a self-selected pace.