Effect of Metro Rhythmic Stimulation on Modifications of Walking with Poles – Case Study

Nordic Walking as well as walking with poles are two types of additional physical activity that have a beneficial effect on improving health and physical fitness. Both activities use poles, which primarily affect the change of asymmetry and stability of gait and also activate upper limb muscles and increase trunk involvement compared to physiological gait. Another beneficial factor influencing human gait is metrorhythmic stimulation, which favorably affects temporal and spatial parameters. Both stimuli are used in various diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and stroke, as a form of rehabilitation. Due to the beneficial effects, the authors of the article decided to combine the two and tested how the subjects respond to metrorhythmic stimulation during walking with poles and how this affects gait variability. Xsens Dot sensors and RAS4NoW software were used for the study. The study was conducted in real conditions - in a park, where walking with sticks is most often trained. In the first stage, the detection of the frequency of the steps taken was carried out, and then the research using metrorhythmic stimulation was started. Their frequency was successively 100%, 95%, and 105% of the frequency of steps taken during standard walking with poles. On the results of the study, it was observed that people who fit better in the metrorhythmic stimulation had lower values of gait variability.