Effect of Rhythmic Stimulation of Music on Hemiplegic Gait

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We used music as a rhythmic cue in gait training of patients with hemiplegia and analysed its effect on gait parameters. METHOD: Twenty hemiplegic patients were included in the study. Gait cycle, foot contact area, and center of pressure pathway were measured by F-scan with and without music. Four subjects were followed after 3 weeks of gait training using rhythmic cue with music. RESULTS: 1) In involved limb, stance phase was slightly increased from 65.8+/-9.9% to 67.8+/-7.9%, and single limb support was changed from 17.1+/-6.3% to 17.2+/-6.2%, without statistical significance. 2) Stance and swing symmetry was slightly increased from 0.77+/-0.13 and 0.52+/-0.21 to 0.83+/-0.09 and 0.54+/-0.16 respectively, without statistical significance. 3) Foot contact area and anteroposterior distance of center of pressure were not changed significantly. 4) All 4 subjects who were followed after 3 weeks showed increased single limb support of involved limb (from 14.5% to 18.8%) and swing symmetry (from 0.47 to 0.67). CONCLUSION: Though it was not proved to be effective for every hemiplegics, use of rhythmic cue with music in gait training may be helpful in some patients. Further study is needed to confirm these results.