Auditory Task, Dual Task, Gait Training, Stroke
Conditions
Brief summary
Rhythmic auditory stimulation and dual-task gait training may improve post-stroke mobility, but evidence regarding integrated programmes and age-related differences in treatment response remains limited. The aim of the study is to evaluate changes in mobility, balance, motor dual-task performance, concern about falling, and health-related quality of life after a six-week combined programme, and to explore whether responses differed across age strata.
Detailed description
This prospective single-group pre-post study included individuals with chronic stroke. Participants completed supervised rhythmic auditory stimulation and progressively intensified motor dual-task gait training three times weekly for six weeks. Outcomes included motor dual-task performance, Timed Up and Go, bilateral single-leg stance, Mini-BESTest, Falls Efficacy Scale-International, and SF-36. An independent assessor, unaware of previous scores and age-stratum allocation, conducted baseline and post-intervention assessments. Prespecified exploratory analyses compared changes across age strata.
Interventions
OTHERRhythmic Auditory Stimulation and Motor Dual-Task Gait Training Programme
The intervention combined RAS with progressively intensified motor dual-task gait training.6 Participants completed a supervised six-week programme comprising three 30-minute sessions per week (18 sessions; planned dose, 540 minutes). During each session, they synchronized their steps with a metronome while performing tandem walking with progressively demanding object-carrying tasks. Participants maintained their usual walking speed and were instructed to give equal attention to gait and the concurrent motor task. Progression was designed by the research team in accordance with general motor-learning principles and involved predefined weekly increases in metronome tempo and concurrent motor-task complexity. provided that the preceding stage had been completed safely. All sessions were delivered individually by the same licensed physiotherapist experienced in neurology.
Sponsors
Recep Tayyip Erdogan University
İstanbul Yeni Yüzyıl Üniversitesi
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Masking description
An independent assessor, unaware of previous scores and age-stratum allocation, conducted baseline and post-intervention assessments. Prespecified exploratory analyses compared changes across age strata.
Intervention model description
This prospective single-group pre-post study evaluated changes following a six-week programme combining rhythmic auditory stimulation with dual-task gait training in individuals with chronic stroke. Prespecified exploratory analyses examined changes across age strata. Participants were consecutively recruited from the neurology and physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient clinics. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately after the six-week programme by the same independent physiotherapist, who was not involved in treatment delivery and was unaware of participants' prior scores and age-stratum assignment. The intervention combined RAS with progressively intensified motor dual-task gait training. Participants completed a supervised six-week programme comprising three 30-minute sessions per week.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
No minimum to 72 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* age ≥45 years * stroke ≥6 months previously * ability to walk at least 10 m independently or with minimal assistance * sufficient hearing to follow rhythmic auditory cues
Exclusion criteria
* advanced aphasia * severe neglect, cognitive impairment, * marked visual impairment, * severe spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale score15 ≥3) * severe cardiopulmonary disease * vestibular dysfunction * an orthopaedic condition limiting walking * progressive neurological disease
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Motor dual-task performance | at baseline and after the six-week programme | Participants completed a 10-m walk at their comfortable speed under single-task and motor dual-task conditions. In the dual-task condition, they carried a ball while walking and were instructed to give equal attention to both tasks. Three trials were performed under each condition, and mean completion time was used in the analysis. Positive values indicated greater dual-task interference. |
| Functional mobility | at baseline and after the six-week programme | Functional mobility was assessed using the Timed Up and Go test, with shorter completion times indicating better performance. One familiarization trial preceded the timed assessment. |
| Balance | at baseline and after the six-week programme | Dynamic balance was assessed using the 14-item Mini-BESTest, which evaluates anticipatory postural adjustments, reactive postural control, sensory orientation, and dynamic gait. Total scores range from 0 to 28, with higher scores indicating better balance. Static balance was assessed bilaterally using the Single-Leg Stance Test. Two trials were performed on each side, and the longest duration before foot contact, stance-foot movement, or loss of balance was recorded. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed