Objective: To examine 10-m comfortable walking speed and 6-minute distance
in healthy individuals and individuals after stroke and to assess the level
of disability associated with poor walking endurance after stroke.
Design: Descriptive study in which comfortable walking speed over 10 m and
distance covered in 6 minutes (6-minute walk test) were compared between he
althy subjects and subjects after stroke.
Subjects: Twelve healthy subjects and 14 subjects after stroke.
Main outcome measures: Walking speed and 6-minute distances were compared b
etween groups. In addition, for each group, actual distance walked in 6 min
utes was compared with the distance predicted by the 10-m walking speed tes
t and the distance predicted by normative reference equations.
Results: Subjects after stroke had significant reductions in 10-m speed and
6-minute distance compared with healthy subjects (p<0.05). Subjects after
stroke were not able to maintain their comfortable walking speed for 6 minu
tes, whereas healthy subjects walked in excess of their comfortable speed f
or 6 minutes. The average distance walked in 6 minutes by individuals after
stroke was only 49.8<plus/minus>23.9% of the distance predicted for health
y individuals with similar physical characteristics.
Conclusion: In our subjects after stroke, walking speed over a short distan
ce overestimated the distance walked in 6 minutes. Both walking speed and e
ndurance need to be measured and trained during rehabilitation.