Short-distance walking speed and timed walking distance: redundant measures for clinical trials?

Abstract

The velocity of a 15-meter walk and walking endurance (distance covered in 6 minutes) are considered distinct outcomes in clinical trials of stroke rehabilitation. Comfortable velocities used for each task in 24 subjects with chronic hemiparesis were not significantly different, however. Although speed and endurance did not reflect different domains of efficacy in outpatients whose usual speed was >0.5 m/s, the fastest feasible 15-meter velocity augmented these measures.