J Korean Phys Ther.  2022 Jun;34(3):98-103. 10.18857/jkpt.2022.34.3.98.

Effects of Action Observation Training Combied with Auditory Cueing on Gait Ability in Patients with Stroke: a Preliminary Pilot Study

• Kim HM
• Son SM
• Ko YM

• KMID: 2536759
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18857/jkpt.2022.34.3.98

Abstract

Purpose
New therapeutic approaches have emerged to improve gait ability in patients with brain damage, such as action observation learning (AOT), auditory cueing, motor imagery etc. We attempted to investigate the effects of AOT with auditory cueing (AOTAC) on gait function in patients with stroke.
Methods
The eighteen stroke patients with a unilateral hemiparesis were randomly divided into three groups; the AOTAC, AOT, and control groups. The AOTAC group (n = 8) received training via observing a video that showed normal gait with sound of footsteps as an auditory cue; the AOT group (n = 6) receive action observation without auditory stimulation; the control group (n = 5) observed the landscape video image. Intervention time of three groups was 30 minutes per day, five times a week, for four weeks. Gait parameters, such as cadence, velocity, stride length, stance phase, and swing phase were collected in all patients before and after each training session.
Results
Significant differences were observed among the three groups with respect to the parameters, such as cadence, velocity, stride length, and stance/swing phase. Post-hoc analysis indicated that the AOTAC group had a greater significant change in all of parameters, compared with the AOT and control groups.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that AOTAC may be an effective therapeutic approach to improve gait symmetry and function in patients with stroke. We believe that this effect is attributable to the change of cortical excitability on motor related to cortical areas.

Keyword

Action observation learning; Gait ability; Stroke