title: Reproducibility of walking at self-preferred and maximal speed in patients with postpoliomyelitis syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the reproducibility of walking performance, heart rate, and perceived exertion at self-preferred speed and maximal walking speed in patients with the postpoliomyelitis syndrome (PPS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Repeated measurement at a 3-week interval.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of 65 patients with PPS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Walking performance: the distance walked in 2 minutes at a self-preferred speed and the time needed to walk 75 m at maximal speed, heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) on an 11-point scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Test-retest reliability of walking performance was excellent for both tests (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] range, .94-.97). No systematic differences existed between test and retest. The smallest detectable change for an individual was 15% for both tests. Test-retest reliability for heart rate was good (ICC=.86) but moderate for RPE (Spearman rho range, .67-.70). The smallest detectable change for RPE was between 4 and 6 scale points. The variability in walking performance was significantly correlated with the variability in heart rate at self-preferred speed (r =.36, P <.01) but not with the variability in RPE (r =.20, P =.11).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both walking tests showed good reproducibility and may be appropriate to monitor (individual) changes in walking capacity in patients with PPS. Because of its moderate reproducibility, RPE does not seem to be suitable to monitor physical exertion. The usefulness of an objective measure such as heart rate for this purpose needs further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. h.horemans@vumc.nl
authors.forename: Herwin L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Horemans
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beelen
authors.forename: Frans
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nollet
authors.forename: Gustaaf J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Lankhorst
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D016262:Postpoliomyelitis Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012494:Sampling Studies; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*