Article

PURPOSE: To determine the test-retest reliability of the GAITRite system in
measuring spatio-temporal gait parameters in people with stroke undergoing
inpatient rehabilitation and to investigate whether walking ability influences
test-retest reliability. METHOD: A within-subject repeated measures study was
conducted. Twenty-one individuals with first stroke undergoing inpatient
rehabilitation participated. The Motor Assessment Scale Item 5 score was used to
categorise participants into poorer (score 3 or 4) or better walkers (score 5 or
6). Participants made two passes at a self-selected gait speed over the GAITRite
mat on two separate occasions. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC(2,1))
and 95% limits of agreement for spatio-temporal gait parameters between the two
occasions and groups were determined. RESULTS: No differences in gait parameters
between the two sessions (p > 0.15) were found. Test-retest reliability for the
whole group was good to excellent, ICC(2,1) ranging from 0.72 to 0.94. Walking
ability did influence these findings with fair to good reliability demonstrated
for both poorer (ICC(2,1) > 0.57) and better walkers (ICC(2,1) > 0.41).
CONCLUSIONS: It appears that the GAITRite has good test-retest reliability in
this group of people with first stroke undergoing rehabilitation. Test
reliability seems to be slightly higher for poorer walkers than better walkers.

Langue : ANGLAIS