This study investigated the immediate effects of auditory feedback training on gait performance and kinematics in 19 healthy young adults, focusing on bilateral changes, despite unilateral training. Baseline and post-training kinematic measurements, as well as the feedback training were performed on a treadmill with a constant velocity. Significant improvements were seen in step length (trained: 590.7 mm to 611.1 mm, 95%CI [7.609, 24.373]; untrained: 591.1 mm to 628.7 mm, 95%CI [10.698, 30.835]), toe clearance (trained: 13.9 mm to 16.5 mm, 95%CI [1.284, 3.503]; untrained: 11.8 mm to 13.7 mm, 95%CI [1.763, 3.612]), ankle dorsiflexion angle at terminal stance (trained: 8.3 deg to 10.5 deg, 95%CI [1.092, 3.319]; untrained: 9.2 deg to 12.0 deg, 95%CI [1.676, 3.573]), hip flexion angular velocity, (trained: -126.5 deg/s to -131.0 deg/s, 95%CI [-9.054, -2.623]; untrained: -130.2 deg/s to -135.3 deg/s, 95%CI [-10.536, -1.675]), ankle angular velocity at terminal stance (trained: -344.7 deg/s to -359.1 deg/s, 95%CI [-47.540, -14.924]; untrained: -340.3 deg/s to -376.9 deg/s, 95%CI [-37.280, -13.166s]), and gastrocnemius EMG activity (trained: 0.60 to 0.66, 95%CI [0.014, 0.258]; untrained: 0.55 to 0.65, 95%CI [0.049, 0.214]). These findings demonstrate the efficacy of auditory feedback training in enhancing key gait parameters, highlighting the bilateral benefits from unilateral training.
Keywords: feedback; gait; kinematics.