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Thirty-Second Walk Test: Expansion of Normative Data.
Michael Lieberstein1, Goldie Weingarten, Carlo Vialu
1Physical Therapy Department (Messrs Lieberstein and Covino, Mss Weingarten and Itzkowitz, and Dr Doyle), NYC Department of Education, New York; Apply EBP, LLC (Mr Vialu), New York, New York; Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences (Dr Kaplan), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey.
The 30-second walk test (30sWT) provides updated normative data for typically developing children aged 5-13. Performance varies by age, peaking at 10 years, with minimal impact from gender, BMI, or path shape.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Human motor development
- Biometrics
Background:
- The 30-second walk test (30sWT) is a functional mobility assessment.
- Establishing normative data is crucial for interpreting pediatric performance.
- Previous studies may not reflect diverse, contemporary populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To gather 30-second walk test (30sWT) normative data in a large, diverse sample of typically developing school children aged 5 to 13 years.
- To analyze the impact of gender, body mass index (BMI), and path shape on walking distance.
- To provide updated reference values for clinical and research use.
Main Methods:
- The 30-second walk test (30sWT) was administered by five physical therapists to 1223 typically developing children (517 boys, 706 girls) across 20 urban schools.
- Data collection occurred in a real-world school setting.
- Standardized protocols were followed for test administration.
Main Results:
- Average walking distances ranged from 139.1 ft (age 5) to 163.0 ft (age 10).
- Distance increased from ages 5 to 10 and decreased from 11 to 13 years.
- Gender, BMI, and path shape showed no significant functional impact on distance.
Conclusions:
- This study provides updated 30-second walk test (30sWT) normative values for a large, diverse, urban sample of typically developing children.
- The findings support the use of these norms in comprehensive pediatric assessments.
- Age is the primary determinant of 30sWT performance in this population.
