Validity and reliability of an internet-based temporal gait assessment tool with healthy adults: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess in healthy adults the validity and the inter- and intrarater reliability of the Internet-based Shaw Gait Assessment (SGA).


METHODS
Concurrent test-retest reliability and validity study with participants, 4 raters, and the Elite motion analysis system (used as the criterion standard).


METHODS
Motion analysis laboratory in a university physical therapy department.


METHODS
Convenience sample of 16 healthy men and women (age range, 28-53y).


METHODS
Each subject performed 2 consecutive walks "at a comfortable pace" on a 6-m walkway. A video camera from the Elite motion analysis system filmed reflective markers, which were attached to subjects' shoes, and the reflective markers provided the criterion standard. Four raters simultaneously recorded each walk by using laptop computers and the SGA.


METHODS
Paired t test (5% level) for average differences between each test and retest for raters and the Elite; Pearson correlations, limits of agreement, and coefficients of variation (CVs) for validity of the tool; intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for inter- and intrarater reliability.


RESULTS
Pearson product moment correlation coefficients between each of the raters and the Elite ranged from .92 to .95 for speed, from .85 to .97 for cadence, from .87 to .92 for step length, from .61 to .84 for left advance limb time, and from .68 to .83 for right advance limb time. Pooled CVs for all variables were below 8% for all raters and the Elite. Pooled ICCs for intrarater reliability were .89 for speed, .99 for cadence, .84 for step length, .76 for left limb advance time, and .84 for right limb advance time. Interrater ICCs were .89 for speed, .82 for cadence, .76 for step length, .66 for left limb advance time, and .81 for right limb advance time.


CONCLUSIONS
The SGA is a valid and reliable tool for several key temporal measures of gait in a healthy adult population.
Reid
Sheila
S
Rehabilitation Therapies, Fletcher Allen Health Care, Burlington, VT, USA. sheila.reid@vtmednet.org
Shaw
Anthony
A
Haugh
Larry D
LD
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015203:Reproducibility of Results