MedPath

Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) for improving gait after stroke in an outpatient setting. A randomised controlled trial

Not Applicable
Conditions
I63
I61
Cerebral infarction
Intracerebral haemorrhage
Registration Number
DRKS00014040
Lead Sponsor
Physiotherapie Schöler
Brief Summary

Objectives: There is a lack of studies that evaluate the effects of different gait training (GT) interventions for patients after stroke in an outpatient setting. The aim of the present trial therefore was to evaluate the effects of two different outpatient GT programmes after chronic stroke. Methods: We randomly allocated patients into two groups of either a 4-week overground GT with rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS, n = 6) of 30 min, three times a week over 4 weeks or an overground GT without RAS (GT, n = 6) with same duration and intensity. Primary outcomes were walking velocity and capacity; secondary outcomes were the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and stride length before and after interventions and at 12 weeks follow-up. Results: Twelve patients after stroke (nine females; mean [SD] age 67 [9] years; duration of illness 67 [69] months; all left-sided strokes) were included. Patients improved their walking velocity from baseline until the end of GT (RAS: median difference 0.05 m/s [interquartile range, IQR 0.06] and GT: 0.12 m/s [0.29]) and walking capacity (RAS: median difference 14 m [IQR 14] and GT: 41 m [79]). However, RAS and GT did not differ significantly (p = .30 and p = .30, respectively). Patients improved from baseline until the end of intervention in BBS (RAS: median difference 4 points [IQR 4] and GT: 1 point [3]) and stride length (RAS: median difference 6.3 cm [IQR 12.1] and GT: 5.5 cm [8.8]). However, BBS and stride length did not differ significantly between groups (p = .08 and p = .58, respectively). Conclusion: Walking with rhythmic auditory stimulation in chronic patients after stroke does not provide a beneficial effect on walking when compared with walking without rhythmic auditory stimulation.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
Complete
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
12
Inclusion Criteria

(1) Stroke according to the WHO-definition for longer than six months (2) ability to walk six minutes with or without assistive devices in a self-selected walkingspeed

Exclusion Criteria

(1) brain tumours, (2) decompensated heart failure, (3) chronic shoulder pain post stroke when walking within assistive device

Study & Design

Study Type
interventional
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
1. gait velocity [m/s], measured by 10m walk test at the end of intervention period and at 3 months follow-up, 2. gait capacity [m], measured by 6 minute walk test at the end of intervention period and at 3 months follow-up
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
1. Balance ability, as measured by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) at the end of intervention period and at 3 months follow-up, 2. Stride length [cm] as measured by 10m walk test at the end of intervention period and at 3 months follow-up
© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath