Are the 10 Meter and 6 Minute Walk Tests Redundant in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury?

This study examines whether the 10 Meter Walk Test (10MWT) and the 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) provide the same information about walking ability in people with incomplete spinal cord injuries (iSCI). The researchers wanted to know if one test could predict the results of the other, which would mean one of the tests is unnecessary. They also looked at whether the tests are useful for measuring different levels of walking ability, from walking at home to walking in the community. The study found that while the two tests are related, they don't measure exactly the same thing. This suggests that both tests can be helpful for understanding a person's walking ability after a spinal cord injury.

• 1
  Walking speeds from the 10MWT and 6MWT were highly correlated, but the 10MWT speeds were generally faster.
• 2
  The error in predicting 6MWT speed from 10MWT speed increased as gait speed increased, indicating the tests are not entirely redundant.
• 3
  Different speed thresholds were identified for community ambulation for each test, and the smallest real difference (SRD) and minimally clinically important difference (MCID) values were distinct.