Effects of a Novel Movement-to-Music (M2M) Intervention on Physical and Psychosocial Outcomes in People Poststroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Objective To investigate effects of a 12-week movement-to-music (M2M) intervention on physical and psychosocial outcomes in people poststroke. Design Two-arm randomized controlled trial. Setting A community-based fitness facility. Participants Participants (N=47) with stroke between 18 and 65 years old were randomized to M2M (n=23) or waitlist control (n=24). Interventions Participants in M2M completed three 60-minute exercise sessions per week for 12 weeks. Controls received biweekly educational newsletters via mail. Main Outcome Measures Primary outcomes included Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT, in meters), Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST, in seconds) and Timed Up and Go (TUG, in seconds). Secondary outcomes were self-reported measures using PROMIS Fatigue and Pain Interference Short Form 8a. Outcomes were collected at baseline and post-intervention. Analyses involved descriptive statistics and adjusted linear mixed models. Results Mixed models adjusted for the respective baseline values and demographic variables showed that M2M participants had longer 6MWT distance (LSM difference [95% CI]=14.5 [-12.9, 42.0]), more FTSST time (2.0 [-4.5, 8.5]), and less fatigue (-3.0 [-7.2, 1.2]) compared to control post-intervention. When controlling for baseline TUG and demographic variables, there were larger increase in 6MWT distance (37.9 [-22.7, 98.6]), lower FTSST time (-6.1 [-18.5, 6.2]), and decrease in fatigue (-6.5 [-13.1, 0.2]) in M2M compared to controls. Moderate effect sizes were observed for improving 6MWT (d=0.6), FTSST (d=-0.6), and fatigue (d=-0.6). There was no group difference in change in TUG time and pain interference, with trivial effect sizes (d=-0.1). Conclusion Movement-to-music may be a valuable exercise form for adults with stroke. Future studies are needed to determine optimal exercise doses for improving health and function in this population.