1000 Section - IMPAIRED GAIT RECIPROCITY IN PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC STROKE – A SINGLE-SESSION RECOVERY TRIAL: A PILOT STUDY

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT

Presenting Author/Autor expositor(s)

DS

Dmitrii V. Skvortsov, PhD

Professor
Center for Brain and Neurotechnologies
Moscow, Moskva, Russia

Co-Author(s)

AK

Aliya R. Khudaigulova, MD

Scientist
Center for Brain and Neurotechnology
Moscow, Moskva, Russia
GI

Galina E. Ivanova, PhD

Head of rehabilitation
Center for Brain and Neurotechnology
Moscow, Moskva, Russia

Objectives : In post-stroke patient’s spatiotemporal parameters of gait are frequently impaired. Rhythmic auditory stimulation is widely used for the correction of this impairment. A disadvantage of existing methods is the necessity for a prolonged course of treatment, which does not always lead to a positive outcome. Aim was to determine the possibility of improving gait reciprocity in patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke using a metronome in a single training session.

Design: Patients of the "effect present" group (n=15; hemiparesis; subacute (n=11) and chronic (n=4) recovery period after ischemic cerebral stroke) and the "no effect" group (n=7; hemiparesis; subacute (n=3) and chronic (n=4) recovery period after ischemic cerebral stroke) performed a single correction session using a metronome. The biomechanical gait analysis was performed three times dynamically.

Results: In the course of the study, statistically significant changes were discovered: increase in the gait cycle of both limbs (p < 0.05), a decrease in walking cadence (p < 0.05), an improvement in the walking rhythmicity coefficient (p < 0.05), a reduction in the single limb stance phase on the contralateral side (p < 0.05), a harmonization of the reciprocity parameter (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: A single correction session using a metronome can be recommended for patients with step asymmetry at different stages of post-stroke rehabilitation. However, it is necessary to take into account patient characteristics that may limit the method's effectiveness. A promising direction for further research is the clarification of the mechanisms of action and the study of the long-term outcomes of applying rhythmic auditory stimulation for the restoration of reciprocal coordination during walking.