Distance-Induced Changes in Walking Speed After Stroke: Relationship to Community Walking Activity

Background and Purpose: Physical inactivity is a major contributing factor to reduced health and quality of life. The total distance walked during the 6-Minute Walk Test is a strong indicator of real-world walking activity after stroke. The purpose of this study was to determine whether measurement of distance-induced changes in walking speed during the 6-Minute Walk Test improves the test's ability to predict community walking activity. Methods: For 40 individuals poststroke, community walking activity (steps/d), the total distance walked during the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWTtotal), and the difference between the distances walked during the final and first minutes of the test (Δ6MWTmin6–min1) were analyzed using moderated regression. Self-efficacy, assessed using the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale, was also included in the model. Results: Alone, 6MWTtotal explained 41% of the variance in steps/d. The addition of Δ6MWTmin6–min1 increased explanatory power by 29% (ΔR2 = 0.29, P
Source: Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy - Category: Physiotherapy Tags: Research Articles Source Type: research