Adding challenge to performance-based tests of walking: The Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit (WIT)

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Assessing lower limb function is crucial for understanding mobility in aging populations.
• Daily life walking involves complex challenges that standard tests may not fully capture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate the reproducibility of 14 performance-based walking tests in the Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit.
• To assess the reliability and potential learning effects of these tests in older adults.

Main Methods:

• Thirty participants (15 men, 15 women) across three age strata (65-74, 75-84, ≥85 years) were recruited.
• Each of the 14 walking tests was administered twice, with a 2-week interval, to assess test-retest reliability.
• Statistical analyses focused on reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficients) and learning effects.

Main Results:

• Eleven of 14 tests (79%) exhibited high reproducibility, with intraclass correlation coefficients >0.80.
• Performance remained stable for eight tests, with slight improvements noted in five specific challenging walking tasks.
• Test-retest reliability was generally very high, with most values exceeding 0.75.

Conclusions:

• The Walking InCHIANTI Toolkit demonstrates very good medium-term reproducibility for assessing lower limb function.
• The toolkit effectively simulates daily walking challenges, showing a modest learning effect.
• These tests are valuable for understanding how real-world walking challenges impact performance in older adults.