Using Timed Up and Go and Usual Gait Speed to Predict Incident Disability in Daily Activities Among Community-Dwelling Adults Aged 65 and Older

Objectives

To compare the ability of Timed Up and Go (TUG) and usual gait speed (UGS) to predict incident disability completing basic activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) in older adults free of disability at baseline, and to provide estimates for the probability of incident disability at different levels of baseline mobility performance.

Design

Data from the first 2 waves of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing, a study assessing health, economic, and social aspects of ageing in adults aged ≥50 years.

Setting

A nationally representative, population-based sample of community-dwelling adults.

Participants

Participants aged ≥65 years who completed mobility tests during a health assessment, had no reported difficulty in ADL/IADL, and had a Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥24 were re-interviewed after 2 years (n=1664).

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Participants completed the TUG and UGS at baseline and indicated difficulty in a number of basic ADL and IADL at follow-up.

Results

Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that TUG and UGS are acceptable tools to predict disability in ADL and IADL (area under the curve [AUC]=.65–.75) with no significant difference between them (P>.05). Both were excellent predictors of difficulty in higher-level functioning tasks such as preparing hot meals, taking medications, and managing money (AUC>.80). Predictive probabilities were obtained across a range of performance levels.

Conclusions

TUG and UGS have similar predictive ability in relation to incident disability in basic ADL and IADL. Predictive probabilities can be used to identify those most at risk and in need of particular services. Since improving physical function can prevent or delay dependence in ADL/IADL, TUG and UGS can also provide performance goals and feedback during exercise interventions.     

快走运动对肌肉减少症患者步行能力和握力以及血清GDF-8和IGF-1的影响

目的观察快走运动训练对肌肉减少症患者步行速度、6 min步行距离(6MWT)、握力以及血清生长分化因子-8(GDF-8)、胰岛素样生长因子-1(IGF-1)的影响。方法选取肌肉减少症患者61例入组, 按随机数字表法分为观察组(31例)和对照组(30例)。2组患者均给予常规药物治疗, 观察组予快走运动(步速100～120步/min, 中等强度60%最高心率为靶心率), 对照组予常规散步运动(步速70～90步/min, 低强度小于50%最高心率为靶心率), 每次30 min, 每周3次, 共治疗12周。分别于治疗前和治疗12周后(治疗后), 观察和比较2组患者的握力、步行速度、6MWT、四肢骨骼肌指数(ASMI)以及血清GDF-8、IGF-1的变化。结果治疗前, 观察组和对照组患者(男性或女性)握力及ASMI的同性别组间差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05);治疗后, 观察组男性和女性患者的握力及ASMI均较组内治疗前明显增高(P<0.05), 且明显优于同性别对照组治疗后(P<0.05);但对照组治疗前后的握力及ASMI均无明显变化(P>0.05)。治疗后, 观察组和...     

Lokomat训练对脑卒中后下肢痉挛患者步行能力的影响

目的观察Lokomat训练对脑卒中后下肢痉挛患者步行能力的影响。方法采用随机数字表法将80例脑卒中后下肢痉挛患者分为观察组及对照组。2组患者均给予常规康复干预(包括良姿位摆放、被动关节活动、翻身训练、斜床站立等), 观察组在此基础上辅以Lokomat训练, 对照组则辅以平地步行训练, 每周训练3次, 连续训练8周。于治疗前、治疗4周、8周后分别对2组患者步行能力、下肢痉挛程度、下肢运动功能、平衡功能以及日常生活活动(ADL)能力进行评定。结果治疗4周及8周时观察组恢复独立步行能力患者例数(分别为16例、29例)均明显多于对照组(P<0.05), 观察组步频、患侧步长、患侧支撑相时间及占比均明显优于对照组(P<0.05);治疗8周时观察组平均步速亦优于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗4周、8周时观察组下肢肌张力恢复正常患者例数(分别为28例、33例)均明显多于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗4周、8周时观察组下肢Fugl-Meyer评分[分别为(20.10±8.11)分和(24.07±7.98)分]、Berg平衡量表评分[分别为(28.87±13.41)分和(40.80±...     

步行矫形器对腰2节段A-B级脊髓损伤患者步行能力的影响

目的:观察穿戴膝踝足矫形器(KAFO)和截瘫步行矫形器(WO)对腰2节段A-B级脊髓损伤步行能力及生理消耗指数(PCI)的影响。方法:纳入30例腰2节段A-B级脊髓损伤患者,年龄20～45岁,根据患者穿戴的步行矫形器不同,按随机数字表法分为KAFO组(穿戴KAFO)和WO组(穿戴WO),每组15例,2组患者均行常规康复...     

Walking in an Unstable Environment: Strategies Used by Transtibial Amputees to Prevent Falling During Gait

Objective

To investigate which strategies transtibial amputees use to cope with challenges of gait stability and gait adaptability, and how these strategies differ from strategies used by able-bodied controls.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

An instrumented treadmill mounted onto a 6°-of-freedom motion platform in combination with a virtual environment.

Participants

Transtibial amputees (n=10) and able-bodied controls (n=9).

Interventions

Mediolateral (ML) translations of the walking surface were imposed to manipulate gait stability. To provoke an adaptive gait pattern, a gait adaptability task was used in which subjects had to hit virtual targets with markers guided by their knees.

Main Outcome Measures

Walking speed, step length, step frequency, step width, and selected measures of gait stability (short-term Lyapunov exponents and backward and ML margins of stability [MoS]).

Results

Amputees walked slower than able-bodied people, with a lower step frequency and wider steps. This resulted in a larger ML MoS but a smaller backward MoS for amputees. In response to the balance perturbation, both groups decreased step length and increased step frequency and step width. Walking speed did not change significantly in response to the perturbation. These adaptations induced an increase in ML and backward MoS. To perform the gait adaptability task, both groups decreased step length and increased step width, but did not change step frequency and walking speed. ML and backward MoS were maintained in both groups.

Conclusions

Transtibial amputees have the capacity to use the same strategies to deal with challenges of gait stability and adaptability, to the same extent as able-bodied people.     

Circuit-Based Rehabilitation Improves Gait Endurance but Not Usual Walking Activity in Chronic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Mudge S, Barber PA, Stott NS. Circuit-based rehabilitation improves gait endurance but not usual walking activity in chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective

To determine whether circuit-based rehabilitation would increase the amount and rate that individuals with stroke walk in their usual environments.

Design

Single-blind randomized controlled trial.

Setting

Rehabilitation clinic.

Participants

Sixty participants with a residual gait deficit at least 6 months after stroke originally enrolled in the study. Two withdrew in the initial phase, leaving 58 participants (median age, 71.5y; range, 39.0–89.0y) who were randomized to the 2 intervention groups.

Interventions

The exercise group had 12 sessions of clinic-based rehabilitation delivered in a circuit class designed to improve walking. The control group received a comparable duration of group social and educational classes.

Main Outcome Measures

Usual walking performance was assessed using the StepWatch Activity Monitor. Clinical tests were gait speed (timed 10-meter walk) and endurance (six-minute walk test [6MWT]), confidence (Activities-Based Confidence Scale), self-reported mobility (Rivermead Mobility Index [RMI]), and self-reported physical activity (Physical Activity and Disability Scale).

Results

Intention-to-treat analysis revealed that the exercise group showed a significantly greater distance for the 6MWT than the control group immediately after the intervention (P=.030) but that this effect was not retained 3 months later. There were no changes in the StepWatch measures of usual walking performance for either group. The exercise and control groups had significantly different gait speed (P=.038) and scores on the RMI (P=.025) at the 3-month follow-up. These differences represented a greater decline in the control group compared with the exercise group for both outcome measures.

Conclusions

Circuit-based rehabilitation leads to improvements in gait endurance but does not change the amount or rate of walking performance in usual environments. Clinical gains made by the exercise group were lost 3 months later. Future studies should consider whether rehabilitation needs to occur in usual environments to improve walking performance.     

Use of the six-minute walk test poststroke: is there a practice effect?

Liu J, Drutz C, Kumar R, McVicar L, Weinberger R, Brooks D, Salbach NM. Use of the six-minute walk test poststroke: is there a practice effect?

Objectives

To determine whether a practice effect occurs across 2 trials of the six-minute walk test (6MWT) among community-dwelling people within 1 year poststroke and to identify characteristics distinguishing people who show a practice effect from those who do not.

Design

Secondary analysis of scores on 2 trials of the 6MWT administered approximately 30 minutes apart at baseline in a randomized controlled trial.

Setting

General community.

Participants

People (N=91) living in the community with a residual walking deficit within the first year of a first or recurrent stroke.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measure

Distance walked on the 6MWT.

Results

Mean 6MWT scores ± SD for trials 1 and 2 were 196±119m and 197±126m, respectively (n=83). The mean difference in 6MWT performance across trials was 0±35m (95% confidence interval [CI], -7 to 8m). The Pearson correlation coefficient between 6MWT distances was .96 (P<.001), and the intraclass correlation coefficient was .98 (95% CI, .97-.99). The Bland-Altman plot showed no clear pattern. Participants whose improvement was equal to or greater than the minimal detectable change of 29m between trials (14%) did not significantly differ from those in the rest of the study sample; however, they tended to be younger (P=.05) and more likely to have a mild or moderate gait deficit (P=.06).

Conclusions

Findings do not support a practice effect across 2 trials of the 6MWT in individuals within 1 year poststroke. Thus, a practice walk does not appear necessary. Further research is recommended to evaluate the influence of young age, acute stroke, and mild-to-moderate gait deficit on practice effects.     

Walkway length, but not turning direction, determines the six-minute walk test distance in individuals with stroke

Ng SS, Tsang WW, Cheung TH, Chung JS, To FP, Yu PC. Walkway length, but not turning direction, determines the six-minute walk test distance in individuals with stroke.

Objectives

To examine (1) the effect of different walkway distances, and (2) turning directions on the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in subjects with stroke.

Design

A cross-sectional study.

Setting

University-based rehabilitation center.

Participants

Subjects (N=26) with chronic stroke.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Total distance covered and number of turns in the 6MWT with different walkway lengths (10-, 20-, and 30-m walkway distances) and turning directions (turning to affected side and unaffected side); rate of perceived exertion (RPE) using Borg Scale, and heart rate (HR) using handheld pulse oximeter recorded before and immediately after the test.

Results

The distance covered and the number of turns in the 6MWT were significantly different between different walkway lengths (P<.05), with the longest distance covered and lowest number of turns in the 30-m walkway distance. For all walkway lengths, turning to the affected or unaffected side did not result in significant differences in the distance covered and the number of turns in the 6MWT. Significant increases were found between the pretest and posttest for the HR and RPE (P<.05) in all testing conditions. There was no significant effect of walkway distance and turning direction on the change in HR and RPE between the 6 conditions of the 6MWT.

Conclusions

Different walkway distances have a significant effect on the distance covered in the 6MWT, whereas turning direction did not significantly affect the distance covered in the 6MWT.     

The influence of excess body mass on adult gait

Background

This study aimed to assess the presentation of gait for adults who are overweight, independent of the confounding influence of velocity.

Methods

Cross sectional study design. Twenty-five adults of a healthy weight were matched by age, gender, height and velocity to twenty-five adults who were overweight. Participants traversed a 10 m walkway embedded with 2 AMTI force platforms (AMTI BP400600 Force Platforms: Advanced Mechanical Technologies, Inc., Watertown, MA, USA) and running between 2 CODA Dual CX1 sensors (CODA CX1: Charnwood Dynamics, Barrow on Soar, Leicestershire, England). Temporal–spatial parameters, maximum ground reaction forces, maximum joint powers, and three dimensional kinematic and kinetic parameters at the 7 events of the gait cycle were assessed.

Findings

With velocity accounted for, relatively few changes in the presentation of gait were seen for adults who were overweight. Alterations included increased stance phase duration, hip flexion, knee flexion, hip abduction, and knee varus for overweight adults. A reduction in hip abductor moment normalised for body mass was noted for overweight adults. Absolute maximum ground reaction forces were increased while maximum hip power absorption was reduced for overweight adults.

Interpretation

Changes were seen at the hip and knee during the swing phase of gait. During swing there is a stronger association with soft tissue injury as compared to joint injury. Overweight individuals were seen to adopt few alterations during the stance phase to accommodate for the increased absolute ground reaction forces. As a result the joint surfaces of overweight adults are exposed to increased loading.     

The two-minute walk test as a measure of functional capacity in cardiac surgery patients

OBJECTIVE: To examine construct validity and sensitivity of the two-minute walk test (2MWT) in cardiac surgery patients. DESIGN: Measurements were made in patients preoperatively, during the postoperative in-hospital stay, and 6 to 8 weeks after discharge from hospital. SETTING: Ambulatory and hospitalized care. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=122; mean age +/- standard deviation, 63+/-9 y) undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The 2MWT, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification for cardiac disease, the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living scale, and the Medical Outcomes Survey 36-Item Short-Form Health Questionnaire (SF-36). RESULTS: Distance walked in 2 minutes decreased significantly postoperatively (from 138+/-26 m to 84+/-33 m, P<.001), but increased again at follow-up (151+/-31 m, P<.0001). Distance walked on the 2MWT correlated significantly to SF-36 (physical function subscale) preoperatively (r=.44) and at follow-up (r=.48) (P<.001). There was a significant difference in distance walked between those with NYHA class I and II compared with those classified as III or IV (P=.04). However, there was no significant difference in distance walked in 2 minutes between those who developed cardiac or pulmonary complications postoperatively (P> or =0.2). CONCLUSIONS: The 2MWT was sensitive to change after cardiac surgery and showed moderate correlation with measures of physical functioning in this population. However, the 2MWT could not identify those who developed complications in the postoperative period.     

早期康复治疗对急性脑血管意外偏瘫患者下肢运动功能的影响

目的 研究早期康复治疗对急性脑血管意外偏瘫患者下肢运动及上不行能力的影响。方法 随机选择68例脑血管意外（CVA）患者,分康复治疗组（37例）和常规治疗对照组（31例）。按照Bobath技术和Carr的运动再学习原理对康复组患者进行早期综合的康复治疗,平均治疗时间28d。采用Scandinavian中风量表(Scandinavian stroke scale,SSS)和Barthel指数量表进行运动和步行能力评价。结果 经康复治疗后偏瘫侧下肢运动及步行能力均明显提高,总的步行率达83.8％,较治疗前增加了51.4％。康复治疗组治疗前后和康复组与对照组治疗报比较有非常显著性意义（P＜0.01）。结论 早期康复治疗能促进脑血管意外偏送信患者下肢运动及步行能力的恢复,提高临床治疗效果。     

Poster 5: Short-term effects of locomotor-oriented rehabilitation on postarthroplasty hip impairments and functional ability

Objective: To evaluate the effects of intensive rehabilitation offered 6 months after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Design: Intervention pilot study, before-after trial. Setting: Ambulatory care. Patients: 10 patients were evaluated 7.2±0.5 months after THA (pretest) and 2 months later (posttest). Intervention: 12 supervised sessions and unsupervised home exercises. Main Outcome Measures: Functional ability measured with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (pain and disability scales), clinical locomotor tests, and laboratory gait evaluation. Hip strength and mobility impairments were also quantified. Comparisons were made with Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: At posttest, patients had less pain (-56%) and less difficulty in performing daily activities (disability scale, −42%), and they performed better during the 10m walk (15%), 6-minute walk (16%), and timed stair (17%) tests, as compared with pretest. No differences were revealed in gait kinematics and kinetics or impairment measures on the operated limb. Significant changes were found in the movements of the sound limb. Conclusions: The intervention promoted better functional ability. Functional gains seem related to more efficient compensations with the sound limb and better locomotor endurance. These results stress the importance of measuring joint-specific outcomes and using bilateral measures to understand changes in global functional outcomes.