Assessing the Reliability and Validity of the 4-Meter and the 10-Meter Walk Test to Measure Gait Speed and its Correlation with the Five Sit-to-Stand Test in Chronic Stroke Survivors

Abstract Introduction: Walking speed is an important temporal-distance parameter of gait. The 10-meter walk test is a measure demonstrating excellent reliability and validity but its correlation with the 4-meter walk test in stroke has not been studied. The study aim was to examine the reliability and validity of 4-meter walk test compared to 10-meter walk test as a measure of gait speed in chronic post-stroke. The secondary aim was the evaluate the correlation between both gait measurements and the 5 times sit-to-stand test. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study design was used with comparisons between two different walking tests and 5 times-sit-to-stand. Twenty chronic stroke survivors performed two 10-meter walk test, 4-meter and 5 times sit-to-stand the same day. One investigator performed all measurements. Results: Gait speed measurements shown to have excellent test-retest reliability between 4-meter and 10-meter walk test (ICC=0.906) and there is a strong positive correlation (r=0.867, p<0.001) between both. There is no statistically significant difference in the comparison of the mean of both gait tests (p<0.091), using the paired t-test. However, moderate correlation is found between two gait assessments and 5 times sit-to-stand. Conclusions: This study indicates excellent validity and reliability between 4-meter and 10-meter walk test gait speed measurements in chronic stroke survivors. The use of these two tests for functional evaluation in these individuals is recommended. The 4-meter walk test requires little space, and the health professional does not require any specialist training. Both tests could be used in clinical or home environments during outpatient stroke rehabilitation.