Comfortable and Maximum Gait Speed in Individuals with Chronic Stroke and Community-Dwelling Controls.

BACKGROUND

The relationship between maximum and comfortable gait speed in individuals with mild to moderate disability in the chronic phase of stroke is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the relationship between comfortable and maximum gait speed in individuals with chronic stroke and whether the relationship differ from that seen in a community-dwelling elderly population. Further, we investigate the influence of age, gender, time post-stroke and degree of disability on gait speed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Gait speed was measured using the 10-meter walk test (10MWT) and the 30-meter walk test (30MWT) in 104 older individuals with chronic stroke and 154 community-dwelling controls, respectively.

RESULTS

We found that the maximum gait speed in individuals with stroke could be estimated by multiplying the comfortable speed by 1.41. This relationship differed significantly from that of the control group, for which the corresponding factor was 1.20. In the stroke group, age, gender and time post-stroke did not affect the relationship, whereas the degree of disability was negatively correlated with maximum speed - but not when included in the multiple analysis. In the community-dwelling population, higher age and female gender had a negative relationship with maximum gait speed. When correcting for those parameters, the coefficient was 1.07.

CONCLUSIONS

The maximum gait speed in the chronic phase of stroke can be estimated by multiplying the individual's comfortable gait speed by 1.41. This estimation is not impacted by age, gender, degree of disability and time since stroke. A similar but weaker relationship can be seen in the community-dwelling controls.