Reliability of Recently Developed Stroke-Specific Protocols For The 10-Metre and 6-Minute Walk Tests : Preliminary Results

Standardized stroke-specific 10-metre walk test (10mWT) and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) protocols have been developed, but reliability, measurement error, and validity have yet to be evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability and measurement error of protocols for the 10mWT and 6MWT conducted using a 15-metre walkway (6MWT15m) and a 30-metre walkway (6MWT30m) in people post-stroke. Participants were recruited from inpatient, outpatient, and community settings. Two assessments were completed 1-3 days apart. Data on sociodemographic and stroke characteristics were collected at first assessment. The 10mWT, and the 6MWTs were completed at both assessments. Data from 18 participants were collected. Median age was 63 years, 89% experienced an ischemic stroke, and median time post-stroke was 138 days. Performance on the 10mWT, 6MWT15m, and 6MWT30m during two sessions, yielded intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2, 1) values of 0.83, 0.98, 0.95, respectively, and minimal detectable change (MDC95) values of 0.42 m/s, 45.02 m, and 75.35 m, respectively. Bland-Altman plots were also constructed. Findings showed excellent test-retest reliability for all three test protocols and measurement error values similar to current literature. Future studies are required to investigate a larger sample of people with a broader range of post-stroke deficits. Support for reliable standardized test protocols will promote their use in clinical and research settings.