title: Parallel walk test: its correlation with balance and motor functions in people with chronic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate (1) the intrarater, interrater, and test-retest reliability of the times and scores generated in the parallel walk test (PWT); (2) their correlations with impairments and activity limitations of individuals with stroke; and (3) the cutoff times that best discriminate individuals with stroke from healthy elderly subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based rehabilitation center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N=72) comprised individuals with stroke (n=37) and healthy individuals (n=35).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  The PWT was administered along with the Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment of the Lower Extremities (FMA-LE), handheld dynamometer measurements of ankle dorsiflexor and plantarflexor muscle strength, the 5-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), a limits of stability (LOS) test, the 10-m walk test (10-MWT), and the timed Up and Go (TUG) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PWT times and scores showed good to excellent intrarater, interrater, and test-retest reliability in individuals with stroke. PWT times using paths of 3 different widths significantly correlated with FMA-LE scores, 5-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test times, BBS scores, some LOS test results, 10-MWT gait speed, and TUG test times. PWT times of 6.30 to 7.48 seconds, depending on the path width, were shown reliably to discriminate individuals with stroke from healthy individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PWT is a reliable, easy-to-administer clinical tool for assessing dynamic walking balance in individuals with chronic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China. Electronic address: Shamay.Ng@polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Shamay S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China.
authors.forename: Lynn H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China.
authors.forename: Cindy S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China.
authors.forename: Stephanie H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China.
authors.forename: Winnie W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong (SAR), China.
authors.forename: Mimi M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Performance, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (SAR), China.
authors.forename: Shirley S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Fong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D015588:Observer Variation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Postural balance; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Walking