Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training: Preliminary Results

Erika G. Spaich; Prithvi Ravi Kantan; Maiken Gammelby; Simone Jensen; Katrine R. Jepsen; Emily F. H. Thorbjørnsen; Anders H. Christensen; Helle Rovsing Jørgensen; Sofia Dahl; Gunhild Mo Hansen

Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training: Preliminary Results

Erika G. Spaich
, Prithvi Ravi Kantan
, Maiken Gammelby
, Simone Jensen
, Katrine R. Jepsen
, Emily F. H. Thorbjørnsen
, Anders H. Christensen
, Helle Rovsing Jørgensen
, Sofia Dahl
, Gunhild Mo Hansen

Department of Physiotherapy, UCN

Aalborg University
Regionshospital Nordjylland

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution to proceeding › peer-review

Abstract

Biofeedback has been shown to facilitate motor learning, and the auditory modality shows great potential in training situations where other senses are engaged in the training tasks. In this study, the immediate effect of using ecological AQ1 auditory biofeedback informing on swing angular velocities during hemiparetic gait training was evaluated. Six sub-acute stroke patients performed gait-specific training in two different, max. 30 min long sessions, one supported by auditory biofeedback (HearWalk session) and one with no biofeedback (control session) with minimum 24 h and maximum seven days between sessions. The Symmetry Ratio for the average peak angular velocity was computed one minute and approximately 20 min after starting training. Gait symmetry improved immediately in the HearWalk sessions compared to the control sessions (p<0.02), with an average improvement of the Symmetry Ratio of 19% when HearWalk was used. No differences across evaluation time points were detected. Although these preliminary results are based on a small sample, they show promising results about the use of this ecological biofeedback paradigm. Further evaluation with a larger sample is to follow.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Advances in Applied Technologies for Disability and Inclusion : Proceedings of the 13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, IBERDISCAP 2025, November 3–5, 2025, Seville, Spain
Editors	Jesus Tornero, Diego Torricelli, Francesca Lunardini
Number of pages	6
Publisher	Springer Nature
ISBN (Print)	978-3-032-18745-1
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-032-18746-8
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2026
Event	13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad - Hotel ILUNION Alcora Sevilla, España, Sevilla, Spain Duration: 3 Nov 2025 → 5 Nov 2025 Conference number: 13 https://iberdiscap2025.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/MasInfo_TRACK3-3.pdf

Conference

Conference	13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad
Number	13
Location	Hotel ILUNION Alcora Sevilla, España
Country/Territory	Spain
City	Sevilla
Period	03/11/25 → 05/11/25
Internet address	https://iberdiscap2025.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/MasInfo_TRACK3-3.pdf

Series	Biosystems & Biorobotics
Volume	36

Keywords

technology, engineering and IT

Access to Document

https://link.springer.com/book/9783032187451

Iberdiscap`25 Sevilla
Spaich, E. G. (Introductory speaker) & Mo Hansen, G. (Other role)
3 Nov 2025
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture or presentation

Cite this

Spaich, E. G., Kantan, P. R., Gammelby, M., Jensen, S., Jepsen, K. R., Thorbjørnsen, E. F. H., Christensen, A. H., Jørgensen, H. R., Dahl, S., & Hansen, G. M. (Accepted/In press). Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training: Preliminary Results. In J. Tornero, D. Torricelli, & F. Lunardini (Eds.), Advances in Applied Technologies for Disability and Inclusion: Proceedings of the 13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, IBERDISCAP 2025, November 3–5, 2025, Seville, Spain Springer Nature. https://link.springer.com/book/9783032187451

Spaich, Erika G. ; Kantan, Prithvi Ravi ; Gammelby, Maiken et al. / Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training : Preliminary Results. Advances in Applied Technologies for Disability and Inclusion: Proceedings of the 13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, IBERDISCAP 2025, November 3–5, 2025, Seville, Spain. editor / Jesus Tornero ; Diego Torricelli ; Francesca Lunardini. Springer Nature, 2026. (Biosystems & Biorobotics, Vol. 36).

@inproceedings{0c5ac08f105943cea899a5dda2ac8dde,

title = "Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training: Preliminary Results",

abstract = "Biofeedback has been shown to facilitate motor learning, and the auditory modality shows great potential in training situations where other senses are engaged in the training tasks. In this study, the immediate effect of using ecological AQ1 auditory biofeedback informing on swing angular velocities during hemiparetic gait training was evaluated. Six sub-acute stroke patients performed gait-specific training in two different, max. 30 min long sessions, one supported by auditory biofeedback (HearWalk session) and one with no biofeedback (control session) with minimum 24 h and maximum seven days between sessions. The Symmetry Ratio for the average peak angular velocity was computed one minute and approximately 20 min after starting training. Gait symmetry improved immediately in the HearWalk sessions compared to the control sessions (p<0.02), with an average improvement of the Symmetry Ratio of 19\% when HearWalk was used. No differences across evaluation time points were detected. Although these preliminary results are based on a small sample, they show promising results about the use of this ecological biofeedback paradigm. Further evaluation with a larger sample is to follow.",

keywords = "technology, engineering and IT",

author = "Spaich, \{Erika G.\} and Kantan, \{Prithvi Ravi\} and Maiken Gammelby and Simone Jensen and Jepsen, \{Katrine R.\} and Thorbj{\o}rnsen, \{Emily F. H.\} and Christensen, \{Anders H.\} and J{\o}rgensen, \{Helle Rovsing\} and Sofia Dahl and Hansen, \{Gunhild Mo\}",

year = "2026",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-3-032-18745-1",

series = "Biosystems \& Biorobotics",

publisher = "Springer Nature",

editor = "Jesus Tornero and Diego Torricelli and Francesca Lunardini",

booktitle = "Advances in Applied Technologies for Disability and Inclusion",

address = "United States",

note = "13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnolog{\'i}as de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, IBERDISCAP 2025 ; Conference date: 03-11-2025 Through 05-11-2025",

url = "https://iberdiscap2025.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/MasInfo\_TRACK3-3.pdf",

}

Spaich, EG, Kantan, PR, Gammelby, M, Jensen, S, Jepsen, KR, Thorbjørnsen, EFH, Christensen, AH, Jørgensen, HR, Dahl, S & Hansen, GM 2026, Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training: Preliminary Results. in J Tornero, D Torricelli & F Lunardini (eds), Advances in Applied Technologies for Disability and Inclusion: Proceedings of the 13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, IBERDISCAP 2025, November 3–5, 2025, Seville, Spain. Springer Nature, Biosystems & Biorobotics, vol. 36, 13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, Sevilla, Spain, 03/11/25. <https://link.springer.com/book/9783032187451>

Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training: Preliminary Results. / Spaich, Erika G.; Kantan, Prithvi Ravi; Gammelby, Maiken et al.
Advances in Applied Technologies for Disability and Inclusion: Proceedings of the 13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, IBERDISCAP 2025, November 3–5, 2025, Seville, Spain. ed. / Jesus Tornero; Diego Torricelli; Francesca Lunardini. Springer Nature, 2026. (Biosystems & Biorobotics, Vol. 36).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution to proceeding › peer-review

TY - GEN

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T2 - 13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad

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AU - Kantan, Prithvi Ravi

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AU - Jensen, Simone

AU - Jepsen, Katrine R.

AU - Thorbjørnsen, Emily F. H.

AU - Christensen, Anders H.

AU - Jørgensen, Helle Rovsing

AU - Dahl, Sofia

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AB - Biofeedback has been shown to facilitate motor learning, and the auditory modality shows great potential in training situations where other senses are engaged in the training tasks. In this study, the immediate effect of using ecological AQ1 auditory biofeedback informing on swing angular velocities during hemiparetic gait training was evaluated. Six sub-acute stroke patients performed gait-specific training in two different, max. 30 min long sessions, one supported by auditory biofeedback (HearWalk session) and one with no biofeedback (control session) with minimum 24 h and maximum seven days between sessions. The Symmetry Ratio for the average peak angular velocity was computed one minute and approximately 20 min after starting training. Gait symmetry improved immediately in the HearWalk sessions compared to the control sessions (p<0.02), with an average improvement of the Symmetry Ratio of 19% when HearWalk was used. No differences across evaluation time points were detected. Although these preliminary results are based on a small sample, they show promising results about the use of this ecological biofeedback paradigm. Further evaluation with a larger sample is to follow.

KW - technology, engineering and IT

M3 - Conference contribution to proceeding

SN - 978-3-032-18745-1

T3 - Biosystems & Biorobotics

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ER -

Spaich EG, Kantan PR, Gammelby M, Jensen S, Jepsen KR, Thorbjørnsen EFH et al. Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training: Preliminary Results. In Tornero J, Torricelli D, Lunardini F, editors, Advances in Applied Technologies for Disability and Inclusion: Proceedings of the 13th Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnologías de Apoyo a la Discapacidad, IBERDISCAP 2025, November 3–5, 2025, Seville, Spain. Springer Nature. 2026. (Biosystems & Biorobotics, Vol. 36).

Ecological Auditory Biofeedback Immediately Improves Gait Symmetry in post-Stroke Training: Preliminary Results

Abstract

Conference

Keywords

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Activities

Iberdiscap`25 Sevilla

Cite this