Clinical Feasibility of Integrating Fast-Tempo Auditory Stimulation with Self-Adopted Walking Training for Improving Walking Function in Post-Stroke Patients: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Trial

[Purpose] This study tested the clinical feasibility of using fast-tempo auditory stimulation (FTAS) incorporated into self-adopted walking training for improving walking function in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. [Subjects] A total of 26 patients volunteered for the study and were randomly allocated to either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG), with 13 patients in each group. [Methods] The patients in the EG received 30-minute self-adopted walking training with FTAS twice a day, five days a week for two weeks. Walking speed, number of steps, and Wisconsin gait scale were measured before and after intervention. [Results] Significant differences between pre-test and post-test were found for all variables in the EG; however, only the number of steps was affected in the CG. A post-test comparison of the 2 groups revealed significant differences in all variables. The improvement rate for all variables was significantly higher for the EG than the CG. [Conclusion] These findings support the clinical use of FTAS integration into walking training as an efficient option for improving walking function in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis.