Reliability of gait speed measured by a timed walking test in patients one year after stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the reliability of gait speed in late-stage stroke patients.


METHODS
Test-retest reliability of three timed walks to 10 metres repeated during two assessments one week apart.


METHODS
The patient's home.


METHODS
Twenty-two stroke patients with mobility problems more than one year after stroke.


METHODS
Gait speed measured in seconds taken to walk 10 metres.


METHODS
Intraclass correlations (ICCs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) and the Bland and Altman method for assessing agreement by calculating the mean difference between measurements (d); the 95% CI for d; the standard deviation of the difference (SDdiff); a reliability coefficient and the 95% limits of agreement.


RESULTS
There was a trend for decreased times taken to walk 10 metres both within each assessment and between assessments. ICCs for within-assessment reliability were 0.95-0.99. The d (SDdiff) for the second and third walks for assessment 1 was -1.00 (2.63) seconds and for assessment 2 was -0.70 (1.58) seconds. The reliability coefficient was 5.26 for assessment 1 and 3.17 for assessment 2. ICCs for between-assessment reliability were 0.87-0.88. The d (SDdiff) for the comparison of the third walks at assessment 1 and assessment 2 was -0.90 (5.01) seconds. The reliability coefficient was 10.02 and the 95% limits of agreement were -10.92 to +9.12 seconds.


CONCLUSIONS
Within-assessment gait speed measured at home is highly reliable. The between-assessment reliability of gait speed measurement is less reliable but comparable with other studies.
Green
John
J
Bradford Community NHS Trust, West Yorkshire, UK.
Forster
Anne
A
Young
John
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005684:Gait; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016138:Walking