How and why rhythms in music and metronomes can help in the physical rehabilitation of walking for people with MS with relapsing remitting and progressive forms.
dr. Lousin MOUMDJIAN
The use of rhythmic cues for walking rehabilitation has gained attention due to established evidence of its effects on walking in certain neurological populations. This specific rehabilitation strategy can be considered task-oriented training and is applied within the framework of auditory-motor coupling. Auditory-motor coupling occurs when a motor rhythm (footsteps) synchronises with an auditory rhythm (beats in music or metronomes). Put simply, the motor rhythm aligns with the auditory rhythm, leading to synchronised steps over time. In this presentation, a series of studies will be presented that investigate auditory-motor coupling in different tasks (such as tapping and walking) at varying tempos (including preferred cadence, faster, and slower than preferred cadence) using both music and metronomes with steady and unsteady rhythms. The presentation aims to shed a light on auditory-motor coupling capacities and the impact of the process of coupling on walking quality, as well as perceived physical and cognitive fatigue in individuals with multiple sclerosis with relapsing remitting and progressive forms.