Clinometric properties of the six-minute walk test in individuals undergoing rehabilitation poststroke

Abstract

The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is commonly used to measure walking ability. The purpose of this study was to determine the test-retest reliability and concurrent and construct validity of the 6MWT in patients who were actively undergoing inpatient rehabilitation poststroke. Thirty-seven patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation after a stroke participated; mean age was 66.3 years and mean time since stroke was 33.7 days. Patients underwent two 6MWT trials with 1–3 days between trials. Additional outcome measures taken were gait speed and the Functional Independence Measure^TM (FIM^TM). The 6MWT exhibited high test-retest reliability; ICC_2,1 0.973 (95% CI=0.925–0.988) and a minimal detectable change (MDC₉₀) of 54.1 m. The 6MWT was strongly to moderately correlated with gait speed (r=0.89), locomotion (walk) FIM^TM (r=0.69), and motor FIM^TM (r=0.52). The 6MWT is a clinically useful measure of walking ability poststroke. It is reliable and is related to other measures of walking ability and function that are commonly used during rehabilitation after stroke.