title: Reliability and validity of Alternate Step Test times in subjects with chronic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (i) To investigate the intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change of the Alternate Step Test (AST) when assessing people with chronic stroke. (ii) To quantify the correlation between AST times and stroke-specific impairments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based rehabilitation centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 86 participants: 45 with chronic stroke, and 41 healthy elderly subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The AST was administered along with the Fugl-Meyer Lower Extremity Assessment (FMA-LE), the Five Times Sit-To-Stand Test (FTSTS), limits of stability (LOS) measurements, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores, Chinese-translated Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC-C) ratings, and the Timed "Up and Go" test (TUG).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Excellent intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability were found, with a minimal detectable change of 3.26 s. AST times were significantly associated with FMA-LE assessment, FTSTS times, LOS in the forward and backward directions and to the affected side, BBS ratings and TUG times.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AST time is a reliable assessment tool that correlates with different stroke-specific impairments in people with chronic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, , Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Mandy M L
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Rebecca W Y
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ying-Ki
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Shirley S M
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.forename: Stefanie S L
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Charles W K
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Shamay S M
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation