Effects of inclined treadmill walking training with rhythmic auditory stimulation on balance and gait in stroke patients.
Sung Kyeung Yoon, Soon Hee Kang
PMID 28174453WHAT IT FOUND
Adding a metronome to inclined treadmill walking improved balance and gait more than walking without it or on a flat treadmill.
However, the study was small and only included patients who could already walk, so results may not apply to all stroke survivors.
Key findings
01The group receiving rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) on an inclined treadmill showed statistically significant greater improvements in all measured balance and gait variables compared to the groups walking without RAS or on a flat treadmill.
02The group walking on a flat treadmill without RAS did not show a statistically significant improvement in the Timed Up and Go test, unlike the other two groups.
03The study included only patients capable of walking, which limits the generalizability of the findings to all stroke patients.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study sample was very small (30 patients), which limits the reliability of the results. The participants were only those who were already capable of walking, so the findings do not apply to patients with more severe mobility impairments. The study did not include a long-term follow-up to see if the improvements were sustained. The results cannot be generalized to all stroke patients due to the specific inclusion criteria and small sample size.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources are reported in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that inclined treadmill walking with a metronome is superior to other forms of gait training for all stroke patients. This study only included patients who could already walk, and the small sample size means these results should be viewed as preliminary rather than definitive.