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Acute effect of traditional and adaptive metronomes on gait variability in older individuals with a history of falls

Cronström, Anna LU ; Cole, Michael H. ; Chalkley, Daniel ; Van Andel, Steven ; Pepping, Gert Jan and Creaby, Mark W. (2022) In Aging clinical and experimental research 34(6). p.1349-1356
Abstract

Background: Metronome cueing has been shown to reduce gait variability and thereby potentially reduce falls risk in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. It is unclear however, if metronome cueing has a similar effect in healthy older adults with a history of falls. Aim: To investigate whether a traditional and/or an adaptive metronome, based on an individual’s gait pattern, were effective in reducing gait variability in older adults with a history of falls. Methods: Twenty older adults (15 women, 71 ± 4.9 years) with a history of falls were included in this cross-over study. Participants received two types of cueing (adaptive and traditional metronome) 1 week apart. The variability of the participants’ stride time, stride length,... (More)

Background: Metronome cueing has been shown to reduce gait variability and thereby potentially reduce falls risk in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. It is unclear however, if metronome cueing has a similar effect in healthy older adults with a history of falls. Aim: To investigate whether a traditional and/or an adaptive metronome, based on an individual’s gait pattern, were effective in reducing gait variability in older adults with a history of falls. Methods: Twenty older adults (15 women, 71 ± 4.9 years) with a history of falls were included in this cross-over study. Participants received two types of cueing (adaptive and traditional metronome) 1 week apart. The variability of the participants’ stride time, stride length, walking speed and duration of double leg support were recorded during three walking conditions (baseline, during feedback and post-feedback gait). Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess the possible effects of the two cueing strategies on gait variables. Results: Compared with the baseline condition, participants had significantly increased stride time variability during feedback (F (2) = 9.83, p < 0.001) and decreased double leg support time variability post-feedback (F (2) 3.69, p = 0.034). Increased stride time variability was observed with the adaptive metronome in comparison to the traditional metronome. Conclusion: Metronome cueing strategies may reduce double leg support variability in older adults with a history of falls but seem to increase stride time variability. Further studies are needed to investigate if metronome cueing is more beneficial for individuals with greater baseline gait variability than those included in the current study.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adaptive metronome, Biofeedback, Fall prevention, Gait, Variability
in
Aging clinical and experimental research
volume
34
issue
6
pages
1349 - 1356
publisher
Kurtis
external identifiers
  • pmid:35020171
  • scopus:85122820848
ISSN
1594-0667
DOI
10.1007/s40520-021-02066-9
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bc0ce00d-98ee-4c2c-bc75-a11adf5253da
date added to LUP
2022-02-24 13:03:26
date last changed
2024-09-08 03:29:33
@article{bc0ce00d-98ee-4c2c-bc75-a11adf5253da,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Metronome cueing has been shown to reduce gait variability and thereby potentially reduce falls risk in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. It is unclear however, if metronome cueing has a similar effect in healthy older adults with a history of falls. Aim: To investigate whether a traditional and/or an adaptive metronome, based on an individual’s gait pattern, were effective in reducing gait variability in older adults with a history of falls. Methods: Twenty older adults (15 women, 71 ± 4.9 years) with a history of falls were included in this cross-over study. Participants received two types of cueing (adaptive and traditional metronome) 1 week apart. The variability of the participants’ stride time, stride length, walking speed and duration of double leg support were recorded during three walking conditions (baseline, during feedback and post-feedback gait). Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess the possible effects of the two cueing strategies on gait variables. Results: Compared with the baseline condition, participants had significantly increased stride time variability during feedback (F (2) = 9.83, p &lt; 0.001) and decreased double leg support time variability post-feedback (F (2) 3.69, p = 0.034). Increased stride time variability was observed with the adaptive metronome in comparison to the traditional metronome. Conclusion: Metronome cueing strategies may reduce double leg support variability in older adults with a history of falls but seem to increase stride time variability. Further studies are needed to investigate if metronome cueing is more beneficial for individuals with greater baseline gait variability than those included in the current study.</p>}},
  author       = {{Cronström, Anna and Cole, Michael H. and Chalkley, Daniel and Van Andel, Steven and Pepping, Gert Jan and Creaby, Mark W.}},
  issn         = {{1594-0667}},
  keywords     = {{Adaptive metronome; Biofeedback; Fall prevention; Gait; Variability}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1349--1356}},
  publisher    = {{Kurtis}},
  series       = {{Aging clinical and experimental research}},
  title        = {{Acute effect of traditional and adaptive metronomes on gait variability in older individuals with a history of falls}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40520-021-02066-9}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s40520-021-02066-9}},
  volume       = {{34}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}