Test-Retest Reliability and Minimal Detectable Change of Gait Speed in Individuals Undergoing Rehabilitation After Stroke

Abstract

Gait speed is a reliable measure of walking ability for a wide variety of patients undergoing rehabilitation after stroke. Gait speed is more sensitive to change in patients who require physical assistance to walk than in those who can walk without assistance. A change of more than 0.30 m/sec may be necessary in order to determine whether a change in gait speed exceeds measurement error and patient variability.