title: Reference values for standardized tests of walking speed and distance: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide an overview of the reference values and methodology used to obtain them for time- and distance-limited walk tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a systematic review and searched PubMed, MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, PEDro, and The Cochrane Library from 1946 to May 2013. Full-text peer-reviewed articles written in English, French or Spanish were considered eligible. Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts. One author determined eligibility of full-text articles, appraised methodological quality, and extracted data. A second author independently verified the accuracy of extracted data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 41 eligible studies reviewed, 25 failed to describe the method used to select participants and 10 had an inadequate sample size. Twenty-five studies provided reference values for one time-limited walk test (6-min walk test (6 MWT)) and 18 studies provided reference values for 15 distance-limited walk tests. Across studies, walk test distances ranged from 3m to 40m. Descriptive values and reference equations for the 6 MWT were reported in 15 and 20 studies, respectively. Across 43 regression equations (median R(2)=0.46), age (98%) and sex (91%) were most frequently included. The equation yielding the maximum R(2) value (0.78) included age, height, weight and percentage of predicted maximum heart rate. Among six unique regression equations for distance-limited walk tests (median R(2)=0.17), sex (83%), age (67%) and weight (67%) were most frequently included. The equation yielding the maximum R(2) value (0.25) included age and sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reference values reported for these tests provide a basis for classifying walking capacity as within normal limits, determining the magnitude of deficit, educating clients, setting rehabilitation goals, and planning studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada. Electronic address: nancy.salbach@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Salbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada. Electronic address: kelly.obrien@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Kelly K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada. Electronic address: dina.brooks@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: Institute for Work & Health, 481 University Avenue, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M5G 2E9, Canada. Electronic address: eirvin@iwh.on.ca.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Irvin
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech-Language Pathology, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada. Electronic address: rosemary.martino@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada. Electronic address: p.takhar@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Takhar
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy, Allied Health Program, Toronto Western Hospital - University Health Network, 3 East Wing, Room 400, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada. Electronic address: sylvia.chan@uhn.ca.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, 160-500 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1V7, Canada; Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - University Health Network, 550 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 2A2, Canada. Electronic address: jo-anne.howe@uhn.ca.
authors.forename: Jo-Anne
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Howe
mesh_terms: D005080:Exercise Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D016138:Walking
keywords: Reference values; Rehabilitation; Review; Walking