The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Gait Rhythm with Motor Imagery -Trial Using the Finger Tap Test.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of any error (delta; ∆) between the image of one's own walking rhythm and the actual walking rhythm and physical activity, as a new motor imagery assessment.

Methods: The subjects were classified into two groups: a high activity group (HA-Group) having high physical activity with less than four hours of sitting time per day, and a low activity group (LA-Group) having low physical activity with more than four hours of daily sitting time. Visual rhythm, auditory rhythm, mental comfortable walking rhythm, and mental maximum walking rhythm were used to assess new motor imagery. Their beats per minute were measured and any error (delta; ∆) from the actual rhythm was calculated: ∆ visual rhythm, ∆ auditory rhythm, ∆ mental normal gait rhythm, and ∆ mental maximal gait rhythm.

Results: When comparing the two groups, the HA-Group had significantly higher ∆ visual rhythm, lower ∆ auditory rhythm, higher ∆ mental comfortable walking rhythm, and lower ∆ mental maximum walking rhythm ability than the LA-Group. Furthermore, in an ANCOVA with age, ∆visual rhythm, and ∆auditory rhythm as adjustment factors, the HA-Group had significantly lower ∆mental maximum walking rhythm than the LA-Group.

Conclusions: These results showed that the rhythmic assessment of the imagery of maximum walking was associated with stationery time. It is possible that the more inaccurate the imagery of maximum walking, the longer the sitting or lying time.