Audio and music cues to enhance exercise in people with MS

Dr Marzena Pedrini

Murdoch University, WA

January 2021

specialisation: Social And Applied Research

focus area: Better treatments

funding type: Incubator

project type: Investigator Led Research

Summary

For people living with MS who are ambulant (can walk), walking is an important form of exercise for health and wellness. Although most people are aware of this, finding the time and motivation to exercise can be a constant battle in busy lives. Additionally, finding ways for clinicians to easily monitor walking patterns and detect changes for individuals in the clinic can also be challenging. This innovative research hopes to assist people living with MS in both areas. 

Dr Marzena Pedrini and her team are introducing a new walking-to-music rehabilitation tool called “GotRhythm”, which uses sensor insoles in shoes and links walking activity with music to potentially improve motivation when exercising. The tool also has the capability to measure walking patterns, such as the number of steps taken per minute.  

The first goal of this study is to compare the GotRhythm walking measurement tool to other established measures of walking. The second goal is to compare walking patterns when listening to motivational music using GotRhythm, against walking patterns when not using the GotRhythm system. The study will also examine levels of fatigue and motivation towards walking using the system.  

Ultimately, it is hoped that GotRhythm may be further developed into a rehabilitation tool to improve both walking patterns and exercise motivation. This could lead to the development of a program to improve health and wellness and to provide increased enjoyment of exercise specifically for people living with MS. 

Progress

Dr Pedrini and her team have made significant progress in their study. They conducted experiments to measure the walking pattern of participants while listening to motivational music. To facilitate this, they developed a user-friendly mobile phone application called Tempony, which directly measures walking patterns using the phone’s accelerometer. The application incorporates the features of the original app, GotRhythm, but with improved usability. It does not require the use of the sensor insoles, as the insoles proved to be problematic. 

Preliminary data collection has been completed for the participants. So far, there are no clear differences in motivation or fatigue between walking with music and walking without music after 12 minutes. The team are now interested in studying how motivation is affected during a longer walking intervention.  

Dr Pedrini and her team also began a new phase of the study focused on supervised walking to music intervention. They obtained ethics approval and finalised the exercise education material for all study participants. The study has been advertised through various organisations, resulting in the recruitment of nine participants for the intervention group, with seven of them completing the entire study. Additionally, an Exercise Physiology Master’s student has been recruited to assist with delivering the intervention.  

A manuscript showcasing the results of this study is planned for later in the year. 

Updated 31 March 2024 

lead investigator

total funding

$24,950

start year

2021

duration

3 years

STATUS

Current project

Stages of the research process

Fundamental laboratory Research

Laboratory research that investigates scientific theories behind the possible causes, disease progression, ways to diagnose and better treat MS.

Lab to clinic timeline

10+ years

Translational Research

Research that builds on fundamental scientific research to develop new therapies, medical procedures or diagnostics and advances it closer to the clinic.

Lab to clinic timeline

5+ years

Clinical Studies and Clinical Trials

Clinical research is the culmination of fundamental and translational research turning those research discoveries into treatments and interventions for people with MS.

Lab to clinic timeline

3+ years

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Audio and music cues to enhance exercise in people with MS