Ten-metre walk, with or without a turn?
OBJECTIVE
To compare results obtained using different procedures to measure 10-metre walking time.


METHODS
Walking was timed over a straight 10 m, and over 5 m with return. Further, the time taken to turn was measured directly.


METHODS
Rehabilitation department of a university hospital.


METHODS
Patients who had walking disability after stroke.


RESULTS
In the group of 43 patients, the time taken to walk 5 m and return was 3.3 (SD 5.0)s longer than the time to walk 10 m straight, but there was a large variation with some patients walking faster. The measured time to turn in a second group of 27 patients was 3.2 (SD 1.6)s. The times taken to walk 10 m straight and 5 m and return, and the time taken to turn were all highly correlated (r = 0.69 or more).


CONCLUSIONS
Timing walking over 5 m with a return is an acceptable alternative to the 10 m straight walk, but the actual time taken varies. On average, the walk with a turn is 3.2 s longer but in individual patients the difference may be much more or less. Sometimes the walk with a turn is even faster than that without.
van Herk
I E
IE
Northern Centre for Health Care Research, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
Arendzen
J H
JH
Rispens
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking