The Effects of Auditory Biofeedback Training and Kicking Training on Walking Speeds in Patients with Hemiplegia

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of auditory biofeedback training and kicking training on walking times in patients with hemiplegia to determine if the effects of such training would be maintained even after stopping the intervention. Thirty hemiplegia patients were selected and randomly assigned to a control group of 10 patients to receive general exercise treatment; an auditory biofeedback training group of 10 patients to receive auditory biofeedback training, along with general exercise; and a kicking training group to receive kicking training, along with general exercise. All the patients received their respective training 12 times in total, three times per week for four weeks. In addition, all those in the control and experimental groups received the same general exercise treatment 12 times in total, three times per week for four weeks, and underwent follow-up tests thereafter. The patients' 10m walking times were measured using a stopwatch. The significance was analyzed using repeated-ANOVAs. In cases where there were interactions between measuring times and groups, in each group were examined using repeated-ANOVAs. In cases where there were differences, post-hoc tests were conducted using repeated of contrast test. The 10m walking times of the control and experimental groups were significant differences in 10m walking times were shown between measurement times(p<.05), and significant differences in the interactions between measuring times and groups were shown between the groups(p <.05). However, no significant differences in 10m walking times were shown between the groups(p>.05). The auditory biofeedback training group showed significant decreases in walking times four weeks after the beginning of the intervention(p<.05) and significant increases eight weeks after the beginning of the intervention(p<.05). The kicking training group showed significant decreases in walking time four weeks after the beginning of the intervention(p<.05) and maintained the walking times without showing any significant differences eight weeks after the beginning of the intervention(p>.05). The walking speeds of only the kicking training group were maintained until eight weeks after the beginning of the intervention.