Walk to the beat: a single case study investigating a novel haptic device to improve walking after stroke

After stroke, many are left with marked mobility deficits including reduced balance and significant gait asymmetry. Gait rehabilitation for stroke survivors often includes forms of rhythmic cueing which harnesses entrainment processes in the central nervous system. Entrainment is the mechanism by which an individual can follow and reproduce rhythmical stimuli, for example, tapping along to a beat. Rhythmic auditory cueing has been shown to be effective in improving walking symmetry after stroke, although its effectiveness is limited when there is environmental noise. Haptic cueing, in which a rhythmic cue (RC) is provided by touch rather than sound, is unaffected by noise but is likely to utilise entrainment processes and so could provide an effective alternative cueing device for community ambulation.