Table 2.
Reliability and Measurement Error (n = 11 articles; 28 protocols)
| First Author, Year | Walk Test | Level of Gait Speed Deficit (m/s) | Walk Test Protocol | Re-test Time Interval | N | Test-Retest Reliability ICC (95% CI) Unless Otherwise Stated | Measurement Error | COSMIN Quality Score | ||
| TD, AD, DD | Practice Trials, Test Trials, Position of Rater, Timing Tool | Pace, Walking Aids Allowed, Assistance Allowed | ||||||||
| Acute (<1 mo) | ||||||||||
| Isho, 2016 | 10 mWT | CGS: median 0.79 (range 0.23–1.04) | 15 m, 2.5m, 2.5m | 0 practice, 1 test trial, NR, stopwatch | Comfortable (barefoot), yes, no | Within-session | 15 | 0.95 (0.86–0.98) | - | Adequate |
| Acute (<1 mo) and subacute (1–6 mo) | ||||||||||
| English, 2007 | 5 mWT | CGS: individual therapy 0.37±0.40; circuit class therapy 0.41±0.43 | 10 m, 3m, 2m | 0 practice,1 1 test trial, behind, stopwatch | Comfortable, yes, no | N/A, video-taped trials re-scored | 10 | Intra-R: 1.00 (NR) | - | Adequate |
| Fulk, 2008 | 5 mWT | CGS: 0.45±0.30 | 9 m, 2 m, 2 m | 0 practice, 1 test trial, | Comfortable, yes, yes4 | 1–3d | 35, All Subjects | 0.86 (0.68–0.94) | MDC90 = 0.30m/s MDC90 = 0.26m/s 2 | Very Good |
| CGS: 0.26±0.18 | NR, stopwatch | 13, Require physical assistance | 0.97 (0.91–0.99) | MDC90 = 0.07m/s MDC90 = 0.12m/s 2 | ||||||
| CGS: 0.56±0.30 | 22, no physical assistance | 0.80 (0.41–0.93) | MDC90 = 0.36m/s MDC90 = 0.31m/s 2 | |||||||
| CGS: 0.36±0.25 | 28, Require an assistive device | 0.91 (0.71–0.97) | MDC90 = 0.18m/s MDC90 = 0.17m/s 2 | |||||||
| Subacute (1–6 mo) | ||||||||||
| Lam, 2010 | 6 mWT | CGS: 0.46±0.29 | 10 m, 2 m, 2 m | 1 practice (day before), | Comfortable, yes, no | Within session (10 min) | 45 | Intra-R: 0.99 (p = 0.00) | - | Adequate |
| (0.06–1.14)2 first trial1 | 1 test trial, NR, stopwatch | 1d (same time) | 45 | Inter-R: 0.99 (p = 0.00) | MDC90 = 0.07m/s 2 | |||||
| Stephens, 1999 | 6 mWT | CGS: 0.75±0.242 | 10 m, 2 m, 2 m (carpet) | 1 practice, 1 test trial, | Comfortable, yes, no | 1d, same time Note: 5 min | 24 | 0.94 (NR) r = 0.95 (NR) | MDC90 = 0.14m/s2 | Adequate |
| CGS: 0.79±0.232 | (parquetry) | beside, stopwatch | Comfortable, yes, no | rest between 4 trials | 24 | 0.97 (NR) r = 0.97 (NR) | MDC90 = 0.09m/s2 | |||
| FGS: 1.08±0.372 | (carpet) | Maximum, yes, no | completed in random | 24 | 0.95 (NR) r = 0.95 (NR) | MDC90 = 0.19m/s2 | ||||
| FGS: 1.11±0.422 | (parquetry) | Maximum, yes, no | order | 24 | 0.94 (NR) r = 0.94 (NR) | MDC90 = 0.24m/s2 | ||||
| Høyer, 2014 | 10 mWT | FGS: 0.25±0.15 | trial 1 : 13 m, 3 m, 0 m trial 2 : 10, 0 m, 0 m | 0 practice, 1 test trial, behind, stopwatch | Maximum, no7, yes5 | Within session | 21, Baseline | 0.96 (NR) | MDC90 = 0.07m/s2 MDC95 = 0.09 m/s | Adequate |
| Subacute (1–6 mo) and chronic (>6 mo) | ||||||||||
| Høyer, 2014 | 10 mWT | FGS: 0.25±0.15 | trial 1 : 13 m, 3 m, 0 m trial 2 : 10, 0 m, 0 m | 0 practice, 1 test trial, behind, stopwatch | Maximum, no7, yes5 | Within session | 21, after 11 weeks of gait training | 0.99 (NR) | MDC90 = 0.07m/s2 MDC95 = 0.08 m/s | Adequate |
| Chronic (>6 mo) | ||||||||||
| Flansjber, 2005 | 10 mWT | CGS: 0.89±0.3 (0.4–1.4) FGS: 1.3±0.5 (0.5–2.2) | 14 m, 2 m, 2 m, | 0 practice, 3 test trials, NR, stopwatch | Comfortable, yes, no | 7d (same time) Mean of 3 trials | 50 | 0.94 (0.90–0.97) | MDC90 = 0.17m/s2 SEM (SEM%) = 0.07 m/s (7.9 m/s) SRD% (95% CI) = 22 m/s (–0.15 m/s–0.25 m/s) | Very Good |
| Maximum, yes, no | 7d (same time) Mean of 3 trials | 50 | 0.97 (0.95–0.98) | MDC90 = 0.20m/s2 SEM (SEM%) = 0.08m/s (5.7 m/s) SRD% (95% CI) = 16 m/s (–0.21 m/s–0.22 m/s) | ||||||
| Faria, 2012 | 10mWT | Not Baseline: CGS | 14 m, 2 m, 2 m, | 1 practice, 3 test trials, NR, stopwatch | Comfortable, yes, no | 1st trial: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.94 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.96 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.05 m/s (5.01 m/s) | Very Good |
| Best of 3 trials: 1.1±0.26 | Mean of 2 trials: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.87 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.97 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.07 m/s (6.40 m/s) | ||||||
| FGS, Best of 3 trials: 1.4±0.36 | Mean of 3 trials: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.95 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.97 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.07 m/s (6.32 m/s) | ||||||
| Best of 3 trials: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.92 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.93 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.06 m/s (5.63 m/s) | |||||||
| Worst of 3 trials:1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.88 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.93 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.07 m/s (6.52 m/s) | |||||||
| Maximum, yes, no | 1st trial: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.86 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.91 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.14 m/s (9.86 m/s) | ||||||
| Mean of 2 trials: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.92 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.96 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.14 m/s (9.96 m/s) | (Continued) | ||||||
| Mean of 3 trials: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.92 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.97 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.14 m/s (9.62 m/s) | |||||||
| Best of 3 trials: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.84 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.92 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.14 m/s (9.87 m/s) | |||||||
| Worst of 3 trials: 1 min | 16 | Intra-R: 0.83 (p≤0.001) Inter-R: 0.91 (p≤0.001) | SEM (SEM%) = 0.15 m/s (10.68 m/s) | |||||||
| Hiengkaew, 2012 | 10mWT | CGS: 0.51±0.30 (0.11–1.32) | 14 m, 2 m, 2 m | NR, NR, NR, stopwatch | Comfortable, yes, no | 5 to 10d, same time | 61, All subjects | 0.96 (0.92–0.98) | MDC90 = 0.14 m/s2 SEM = 0.06 m/s | Very Good |
| CGS: 0.77±0.33 (0.33–0.77) | Note: 3–5 min rest between comfortable & | 123 PF tone: no ↑ | 0.96 (0.86–0.99) | MDC90 = 0.15 m/s2 SEM = 0.07 m/s | ||||||
| CGS: 0.47±0.29 (0.11–1.18) | maximum trials | 323 PF tone: slight ↑ | 0.95 (0.89–0.98) | MDC90 = 0.15 m/s2 SEM = 0.06 m/s | ||||||
| CGS: 0.39±0.19 (0.17–0.85) | 17, MAS≥23 PF tone: marked ↑ | 0.95 (0.81–0.99) | MDC90 = 0.10 m/s2 SEM = 0.03 m/s | |||||||
| FGS: 0.62±0.40 (0.09–1.40) | Maximum, yes, no | 61, All Subjects | 0.98 (0.97–0.99) | MDC90 = 0.13 m/s2 SEM = 0.06 m/s | ||||||
| FGS: 0.97±0.46 (0.46–0.97) | 123 PF tone: no ↑ | 0.99 (0.97–0.99) | MDC90 = 0.11 m/s2 SEM = 0.05 m/s | |||||||
| FGS: 0.56±0.37 (0.10–1.48) | 323 PF tone: slight ↑ | 0.98 (0.95–0.99) | MDC90 = 0.12 m/s2 SEM = 0.05 m/s | |||||||
| FGS: 0.47±0.27 (0.18–1.03) | 173 PF tone: marked ↑ | 0.99 (0.95–0.99) | MDC90 = 0.06 m/s2 SEM = 0.03 m/s | |||||||
| Peters, 2014 | 3 mWT | CGS: 0.27±0.11 | 3 m, 2 m, 2 m | 1 practice, 1 test trial, NR, stopwatch | Comfortable, yes, no | Within-session rest provided as needed | 12, household ambulators | 0.97 (0.94–0.99) | MDC90 = 0.042 MDC95 = 0.05 SEM = 0.04 | Adequate |
| CGS: 0.52±0.10 | 24, limited community ambulators | 0.91 (0.85–0.94) | MDC90 = 0.072 MDC95 = 0.08 SEM = 0.06 | |||||||
| CGS: 0.89±0.15 | 26, community ambulators | 0.85 (0.77–0.90) | MDC90 = 0.142 MDC95 = 0.16 SEM = 0.12 | |||||||
| Acute (<1 mo), subacute (1–6 mo) and chronic (>6 mo) | ||||||||||
| Cheng, 2020 | 10 mWT | CGS: 0.94±0.36 | 14 m, 2 m, 2 m | 0 practice, 1 test trial, beside and slightly behind, stopwatch | Comfortable, yes, yes6 | 1–3d (same time) | 20 | 0.83 (0.63–0.93) | MDC90 = 0.34 MDC95 = 0.40 | Very Good |
Abbreviations: 10 mWT, 10-metre walk test; 95% confidence interval; 3 mWT, 3-metre walk test; 5 mWT, 5-metre walk test; 6 mWT, 6-metre walk test; AD, acceleration distance; CGS, comfortable gait speed; COSMIN, COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurements Instruments; d, day(s); DD, Deceleration distance; FGS, fast gait speed; ICC, intraclass correlation coefficient; Inter-R, Inter-rater reliability; Intra-R, Intra-rater reliability; m, metres; m/s, metres per second; MDC, Minimal detectable change; min, minute(s); PF, ankle plantarflexors; mo, months; N/A, not applicable; NR, not reported; SEM, Standard error of measurement; SRD, Smallest real difference; TD, total distance. 1Data obtained from author. 2Computed from study data. 3Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) was used to classify ankle plantar-flexor tone as: no increase (MAS = 0), slight increase (MAS = 1-1+), and marked increase (MAS≥2). 4Patient’s physical therapist determined the amount of physical assistance given. 5People dependent on 1 person to walk participated. A physical therapist secured the patient from behind by close manual support, holding the waistband, or by close presence and supervision, and only moved when the patient was in double support phase. 6Evaluator provided physical assistance at the waist to steady the person, if needed, but not to advance the foot. 7Orthoses were permitted if a prerequisite for safety.