title: Walkway lengths for measuring walking speed in stroke rehabilitation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of walkway length (5, 8 or 10 m) on measurements of comfortable and maximum walking speed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based rehabilitation centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (n = 25) with chronic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Timed walking with different walkway lengths (5, 8 and 10 m) walkways were recorded using a stop-watch.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant effect of walkway length was found on either the comfortable or maximum walking speed in subjects with chronic stroke. For all walkway lengths, comfortable speed was significantly different from maximum speed (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no significant effect of walkway length (5, 8 and 10 m) on either comfortable or maximum walking speed. Different walkway lengths can yield consistent results in measuring gait speed clinically. A 5-m walkway with standardized 2-m acceleration and deceleration distances is recommended as it occupies the least space and imposes less stress on subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China. Shamay.Ng@inet.polyu.edu.hk
authors.forename: Shamay S M
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Phoebe C M
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Connie Y W
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Elva S W
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Mimi H W
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D014894:Weights and Measures