Article

Rhythmic auditory cues including music and metronome beats have been used,
sometimes interchangeably, to improve disordered gait arising from a range of
clinical conditions. There has been limited investigation into whether there are
optimal cue types. Different cue types have produced inconsistent effects across
groups which differed in both age and clinical condition.
The possible effect of
normal ageing on response to different cue types has not been reported for gait.
The aim of this study was to determine the effects of both rhythmic music and
metronome cues on gait spatiotemporal measures (including variability) in healthy
older people. Twelve women and seven men (>65 years) walked on an instrumented
walkway at comfortable pace and then in time to each of rhythmic music and
metronome cues at comfortable pace stepping frequency. Music but not metronome
cues produced a significant increase in group mean gait velocity of 4.6 cm/s, due
mostly to a significant increase in group mean stride length of 3.1cm. Both cue
types produced a significant but small increase in cadence of 1 step/min. Mean
spatio-temporal variability was low at baseline and did not increase with either
cue type suggesting cues did not disrupt gait timing. Study findings suggest
music and metronome cues may not be used interchangeably and cue type as well as
frequency should be considered when evaluating effects of rhythmic auditory
cueing on gait. Further work is required to determine whether optimal cue types
and frequencies to improve walking in different clinical groups can be identified.
CI - Copyright (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS