Effect of Auditory Feedback on Lower Limb Weight Bearing Symmetry and Gait Parameters in Patients with Hemiparesis

Background and purpose

To assess the effect of auditory feedback along with the conventional methods in improving the weight bearing symmetry of lower limbs and spatial temporal gait parameters in stroke patients.

Design

Non- randomized control trial.

Setting

Kasturba Hospital, Manipal and S.D.M. Ayurvedic Hospital, Udyavara, Karnataka.

Subjects

30 stroke patients (15 in experimental group and 15 in control group).

Interventions

Conventional weight bearing exercises was given for control group while the same was supplemented with auditory feedback device called "Ped Alert" for the experimental group. Exercises were given one hour per day, five days a week for two weeks.

Main measures

Weight bearing symmetry, spatial parameters (step and stride lengths), and temporal parameters (single and double limb support time, gait velocity, cadence, asymmetry ratio), of gait and Wisconsin Gait Scale (WGS).

Result

Within group comparison showed significant improvement in weight bearing symmetry, unaffected single limb support duration (SLSD), cadence, asymmetry ratio and WGS for the control group and significant improvement in velocity, cadence, affected step length, unaffected step length, affected stride length, unaffected stride length, WGS and weight bearing symmetry in the experimental group. Between groups comparison showed significant improvement in velocity (p=0.021), unaffected step length (p=0.013), unaffected stride length (p=0.048) and WGS (p=0.026).

Conclusion

Auditory feedback training has an additional role in improving unaffected step and stride lengths and gait velocity. However it may be as effective as conventional treatment in improving other spatial and temporal parameters of gait.