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Updated: Mar 26, 2026
Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
Reliability of timed walking tests and temporo-spatial gait parameters in youths with neurological gait disorders
Judith V Graser1,2,3, Claudia Letsch1,4, Hubertus J A van Hedel5,6,7
1Paediatric Rehab Research Group, Rehabilitation Centre, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Affoltern am Albis, Switzerland.
Insights
Timed walking tests and GAITRite gait parameters show good reliability in children with neurological gait disorders. Further evaluation is needed to confirm responsiveness, especially for those with poorer walking ability.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Rehabilitation
- Neurology
- Biomechanical Engineering
Background:
- The 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT) and 6-Minute Walk Test (6MinWT) are standard for assessing pediatric gait capacity.
- Objective gait parameters, such as stride length and step symmetry, can be measured using systems like GAITRite.
- Test-retest reliability of these parameters in children with diverse neurological gait disorders is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the test-retest reliability of the 10MWT, 6MinWT, and GAITRite-derived temporo-spatial gait parameters.
- To assess reliability in a heterogeneous sample of pediatric patients with neurological gait disorders.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study with two measurement time-points was conducted.
- Thirty children (mean age 13.0 years) with various neurological conditions performed the 10MWT (preferred and maximum speed) and 6MinWT on two separate occasions.
- Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) quantified relative reliability, while standard error of measurement and smallest real difference assessed absolute reliability.
Main Results:
- ICCs for timed walking tests ranged from 0.89-0.97.
- ICCs for temporo-spatial gait parameters varied: 0.81-0.95 (10MWTpref), 0.61-0.90 (10MWTmax), and 0.88-0.97 (6MinWT).
- The 6-Minute Walk Test generally demonstrated the greatest absolute reliability.
Conclusions:
- Timed walking tests and GAITRite gait parameters demonstrate reliability in children with neurological gait disorders.
- Potential positive influence on temporo-spatial parameter reliability due to software removal of unclear steps in some participants.
- Responsiveness of these measures requires further investigation, particularly given relatively low absolute reliability.
Background:
The 10-Meter Walk Tests (10MWT) and the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MinWT) are applied to assess gait capacity in paediatric patients. To better objectify changes in qualitative aspects of gait, temporo-spatial parameters like stride length or step symmetry could be simultaneously assessed with a GAITRite system. Reliability has not yet been evaluated in a heterogeneous sample of children with various neurological gait disorders such as is representative for paediatric neuro-rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to assess test-retest reliability of the 10MWT, the 6MinWT and simultaneously recorded gait parameters captured with the GAITRite system in children with neurological gait disorders.
Methods:
This is a cross-sectional study with two measurement time-points. Thirty participants (9 females; mean (standard deviation) age 13.0 (3.6) years, 10 with cerebral palsy, 6 after stroke, among other diagnoses) performed the 10MWT at preferred (10MWTpref) and maximum speed (10MWTmax) and the 6MinWT on two occasions (mean time interval: 7.0 (1.9) days). Relative reliability was quantified with an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC); the measurement error reflecting absolute reliability was quantified with the standard error of measurement and the smallest real difference.
Results:
ICCs of timed walking tests (time measured with a stopwatch, step count for the 10MWT and walking distance for the 6MinWT) ranged from 0.89-0.97. ICCs of temporo-spatial gait parameters ranged from 0.81-0.95 (10MWTpref), from 0.61-0.90 (10MWTmax) and from 0.88-0.97 (6MinWT). In general, absolute reliability was greatest in the 6MinWT.
Conclusion:
Timed walking tests and temporo-spatial gait parameters obtained from the GAITRite system appear reliable in children with neurological gait disorders. However, especially in children with poorer walking ability, the reliability of temporo-spatial parameters might have been positively influenced, as unclear steps had to be removed using the GAITRite software. As absolute reliability is rather low, the responsiveness of these measures needs to be further evaluated.
