title: Effect of rhythmic auditory stimulation on gait and balance in hemiplegic stroke patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) improves gait velocity, cadence, and stride length in hemiplegic stroke patients, yet little is known about the effectiveness of RAS on standing balance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine and compare the effectiveness on standing balance and gait parameter of two different types of gait trainings, gait training with RAS versus gait training without RAS, was compared in two groups of hemiplegic stroke patients over a three-week period (RAS group, n = 8; control group = 8).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen hemiplegic stroke patients were included in the study. Standing balance was measured by using Biosway®. Stride length, gait velocity, and cadence were calculated from the number of steps and required time for a 10 m-walk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pre- to post-test measures showed a significant improvement in RAS group for overall stability index (p = 0.043), mediolateral index (p = 0.006), anteroposterior index (p = 0.016), gait velocity (p = 0.012), stride length (p = 0.03) and cadence (p = 0.012) over the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study showed that RAS was an effective therapeutic method to improve gait velocity, stride length, cadence, and standing balance in hemiplegic stroke patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jee Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Soo Jeong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seo Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ho Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Seonam Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Sik
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Music Therapy, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chong
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
keywords: Rhythmic auditory stimulation; balance; gait; rehabilitation; stroke