10 Meter Walk Test

Question 1

Objective

Answer 1

• Used to assess walking or gait speed in meters per second over a short distance
• Employed to determine functional mobility, gait, and vestibular function.

Question 2

Intended Population

Answer 2

• Anyone over the age of 2 years old with a range of diagnoses including:
• Acquired brain injury
• Cerebral palsy
• Geriatrics
• Hip fracture
• Lower limb amputation
• Movement disorders
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinsons
• Spinal cord injury
• Stroke
• Traumatic brain injury
• Total hip and knee arthroplasty
• Down syndrome

Question 3

Equipment Required

Answer 3

• Walkways of 10 meteres with additional 2 meters at both ends, marked with tape, for acceleration and deceleration.
• 2 chairs
• Stopwatch / timer
• Usual walking aid

Question 4

Time Required

Answer 4

• 5 minutes to administer and score

Question 5

Scoring

Answer 5

• The total time taken to ambulate 10 meters is recorded.
• Timing starts when the toes pass the 2 meter mark
• Timing stop when the toes pass the 12 meter mark.
• The 10 meter is then divided by the total time taken (in seconds) to completed.
• The total time is recorded in meters per second.

Question 6

Instructions

Answer 6

• The participant is instructed to walk a total of 14 meters in each walk, including 2-meter initiation and termination phases.
• The middle 10 meters of a 14 meter walkway were timed.
• Assistive devices may be used, but must be kept consistent and documented for each test.
• Stop timing when the toes pass the 2 meter mark
• Stop timing when the toes pass the 12 meter mark.
• Can be tested at either preferred walking speed or maximum walking speed (ensure to document which was tested)
• Perform three trials and calculate the average of three trials.
• Walk at least half a step behind the patient. Do not walk in front of or directly beside the patient, as this may pace the patient and influence the speed and distance they walk.

Question 7

Reliability

Answer 7

• Excellent reliability in many conditions including healthy adults, children with neuromuscular disease, Parkinson’s, hip fracture, spinal cord injury, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.
• Self-paced option may have better ability to detect change over time rather than fast-paced.

Question 8

Test-Retest Reliability

Answer 8

• Children with neuromuscular disease – excellent test-retest reliability
• Healthy adults – excellent
• Hip fracture – excellent
• Parkinson’s disease or parkinsonism – excellent
• Spinal cord injury – excellent
• Stroke – excellent
• Traumatic brain injury – excellent

Question 9

Interrater / Intra-rater reliability

Answer 9

• Healthy adults – inter-rater reliability excellent
• Spinal Cord Injury – excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability
• Stroke – excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability
• Traumatic brain injury – excellent inter-rater reliability
• Knee / hip OA – good for a fast-paced
• Down Syndrome – good intra-rater and excellent inter-rater for adolescents and adults.

Question 10

Criterion Validity

Answer 10

• Multiple sclerosis – predictive validity – excellent correlation with dependence in self-care at comfortable speed, adequate to excellent correlation with dependence in mobility at comfortable speed, adequate to excellent correlation with dependence in domestic life at comfortable speed.
• Stroke – predictive validity – excellent correlation with dependence in instrumental activities of daily living, excellent correlation with Barthel Index.
• Total Knee Arthroplasty / Total Hip Athroplasty / Hip or Knee Osteoarthritis – no evidence found comparing to instrumented / accelerometry-determined walking speed for knee/hip OA and total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty.

Question 11

Construct Validity

Answer 11

• Healthy adults – poor correlation with BBT, adequate correlation with FRT.
• Hip fracture – excellent correlation with 6 minute walk test, adequate correlation with LE strength, adequate correlation with LE power, poor correlation with hip pain, poor correlation with bodily pain, poor correlation with vitality, adequate correlation with physical role, adequate correlation with social role.
• Total Knee Arthroplasty – poor correlation with Global Rating of Change Function, Global Rating of Change, global rating of change pain and WOMAC at 6 weeks and 12 weeks post op. Bilateral TKA – moderate correlation with Fall Efficacy Scale-International and Berg Balance Scale at 6 months.

Question 12

Convergent Validity

Answer 12

• Spinal Cord Injury – excellent correlation between the TUG and 10MWT, excellent correlation between 10MWT and 6MWT, subgroup comparisons of WISCI II and 10MWT, excellent correlation between WISC II and 10MWT when testing individuals with WISCI II and 10MWT when testing individuals with WISCI II scores o-10, adequate but not significant correlation between WISCI II dependent walkers, adequate correlation between WISCI II independent walkers. Overall, improved validity in individuals who are less impaired, higher walking ability, and do not require assistance.
• Stroke – excellent correlation between comfortable gait speed and TUG, FGS, stair climbing ascend, stair climbing descend. Excellent correlation between fast gait speed and TUG, CGS, SCas, SCde, and 6MWT

Question 13

Concurrent

Answer 13

• TKA/THA &Knee and Hip OA – no evidence found comparing to 4m test for TKA/THA and knee / hip OA.
• TKA – Poor correlation with WOMAC and poor-moderate correlation with 30sCST at initial, 6-weeks and 12 weeks post op.
• THA – No evidence found.
• Healthy older adults – poor concurrent validity with 4mWT and 10mWT should not be used interchangeably.