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Updated: Jun 16, 2025
Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation
Published on: August 23, 2017
Test-retest reliability and variability of self-reported normal treadmill walking speeds in adults aged 20-80 years
Hunter Carswell1, Alison Schinkel-Ivy1
1School of Physical & Health Education, Nipissing University, 100 College Drive, Box 5002, North Bay, Ontario P1B 8L7, Canada.
Background:
Overground walking speeds show good to excellent reliability. However, intra-session test-retest reliability and variability of self-reported speeds during treadmill walking have not been quantified. Additionally, literature surrounding the effects of age on variability of overground walking speeds has presented mixed findings.
Objective:
This study evaluated intra-session test-retest reliability and variability of self-reported normal speeds during a treadmill walking speed protocol, and changes in these measures across adults aged 20-80 years old.
Methods:
Self-reported normal treadmill walking speeds were collected in two bouts (six and three speeds, respectively) during one session from 59 participants (20-80 years old). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard errors of measurement (SEM), and Bland-Altman plots were derived for four sets of self-reported speeds, for the full sample and each age group (grouped by decade).
Results:
Most ICCs presented good to excellent reliability (ICCs ≥ 0.80), with SEMs ≤ 0.45 km/h and ≤ 12 %. The earliest and latest self-reported speeds in each set of analyzed speeds contributed the most variation. The oldest groups demonstrated decreased reliability and increased variability compared to adults in the middle age groups, with similarly low reliability among the youngest group.
Conclusion:
Results provide insight into the magnitude, patterns, and sources of reliability and variability in self-reported normal speeds during treadmill walking. Furthermore, reliability and variability of self-reported speeds during treadmill walking may be affected by age and/or walking speed. These findings may have utility for research and clinical settings, for applications in which reliably identifying normal walking speeds while minimizing time burden is an important consideration.
