Predicting home and community walking activity in people with stroke.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the ability of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and other commonly used clinical outcome measures to predict home and community walking activity in high-functioning people with stroke.


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
Outpatient physical therapy clinic.


METHODS
Participants (N=32) with chronic stroke (n=19; >6mo poststroke) with self-selected gait speed (GS) faster than .40m/s and age-matched healthy participants (n=13).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS



METHODS
6MWT, self-selected GS, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), lower extremity motor section of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment, and Stroke Impact Scale. Dependent variable: average steps taken per day during a 7-day period, measured using an accelerometer.


RESULTS
6MWT, self-selected GS, and BBS were moderately related to home and community walking activity. The 6MWT was the only predictor of average steps taken per day; it explained 46% of the variance in steps per day.


CONCLUSIONS
The 6MWT is a useful outcome measure in higher functioning people with stroke to guide intervention and assess community walking activity.
Fulk
George D
GD
Department of Physical Therapy, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA. gfulk@clarkson.edu
Reynolds
Chelsea
C
Mondal
Sumona
S
Deutsch
Judith E
JE
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016138:Walking