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Published on: November 7, 2014
Assessing walking speed in clinical research: a systematic review
James E Graham1, Glenn V Ostir, Steven R Fisher
1Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1137, USA. jegraham@utmb.edu
Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice
|May 9, 2008
Summary
Assessments of walking speed are widely used in healthcare but lack standardized methods. This review highlights inconsistencies in reporting walking speed tests, calling for a unified approach to improve research comparability.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Biomechanics
- Rehabilitation Science
- Geriatric Medicine
Background:
- Walking speed assessments are prevalent across various healthcare disciplines.
- Standardization in reporting walking speed tests is currently lacking.
- Inconsistent methodologies hinder cross-study comparisons and data synthesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and describe the reporting of walking speed assessments in the healthcare literature.
- Identify common practices and variations in walking speed test methodologies.
- Highlight the need for standardized protocols in walking speed research.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of MEDLINE and bibliographies.
- Search limited to English language journals from 1996 to 2006.
- Inclusion of 108 studies providing sufficient methodological detail.
Main Results:
- Walking speed tests were frequently used in neurological and geriatric populations.
- Variations observed in speed instructions (usual/normal), starting protocols (static/dynamic), and walking distances (10m, 6m, 4m).
- A significant number of studies failed to describe key methodological elements, including speed instructions and starting procedures.
Conclusions:
- Walking speed tests are applied broadly but exhibit considerable methodological heterogeneity.
- The lack of standardized reporting complicates the interpretation and comparison of findings.
- Establishing consensus on a standardized walking test methodology is crucial for advancing research in this area.
