The structure of walking activity in people after stroke compared with older adults without disability: a cross-sectional study
Physical Therapy, 08/01/2012
Clinical Article
Roos MA et al. – The specific descriptors of walking activity presented provide insight into walking deficits after stroke that cannot be ascertained by looking at steps per day alone. The deficits that were revealed could be addressed through appropriate exercise prescription, underscoring the need to analyze the structure of walking activity.
Methods- Fifty–four participants poststroke and 18 older adults without disability wore a step activity monitor for 3 days.
- The descriptors of walking activity calculated included steps per day (SPD), bouts per day (BPD), steps per bout (SPB), total time walking per day (TTW), percentage of time walking per day (PTW), and frequency of short, medium, and long walking bouts.
- Individuals classified as household and limited community ambulators (n=29) did not differ on any measure and were grouped (HHA–LCA group) for comparison with unlimited community ambulators (UCA group) (n=22) and with older adults without disability (n=14).
- The SPD, TTW, PTW, and BPD measurements were greatest in older adults and lowest in the HHA–LCA group.
- Seventy–two percent to 74% of all walking bouts were short, and this finding did not differ across groups.
- Walking in all categories (short, medium, and long) was lowest in the HHA–LCA group, greater in the UCA group, and greatest in older adults without disability.
