Measurement
Walking speed
Distance divided by time. Summarises pace and supports standardised longitudinal assessment.
Report units, timed distance and start procedure. Keep instructions and walking aids consistent between assessments.
SWISSTEP / KNOWLEDGE LIBRARY
Methods and measurement glossary
Illustrated gait parameters, standard clinical tests and a structured approach to evaluating measurement evidence.
Start with the decision and the measurement
Define the population, setting and intended decision before choosing a metric. Validity concerns the quantity you claim to measure; reliability concerns repeatability; agreement concerns absolute differences between methods. A measure can be reliable and still systematically biased. V3 evaluation framework.
Specify the gait metric
Measurement
Cadence
Steps per minute. Helps explain whether pace changes through stepping frequency.
Count steps, not strides, and state the observation interval. Interpret alongside step or stride length rather than treating cadence as an isolated quality score.
Measurement
Stride length
Distance between successive contacts of the same foot. Describes spatial progression and complements cadence.
Specify the contact event, units and whether values were normalised to body dimensions. Do not confuse step length with stride length.
Measurement
Double support
Time with both feet in contact. Describes temporal support strategy; interpret alongside speed.
State whether you report seconds or percentage of cycle. Compare like walking conditions; duration varies with speed and support strategy.
Measurement
Asymmetry
A specified left–right difference. Can track an unequal pattern and its response to rehabilitation.
Report the metric, equation, sign and denominator. Different asymmetry formulas cannot be compared as if they were the same quantity.
Measurement
Variability
Dispersion across steps or strides. Describes consistency that an average can conceal.
Report the number of strides, walking-bout selection and whether turns were included; sensor error can inflate apparent variability.
Measurement
Walking volume
Amount and distribution of everyday walking. Complements capacity by describing real-world participation.
Nonwear cannot be interpreted as zero movement. Record valid observation time and the rules used to identify a walking bout.
Measurement
Turning and balance
Task-specific transition and postural measures. Adds information about mobility beyond straight walking.
Use a named protocol and appropriate reference. A walking score alone does not replace balance and falls assessment.
Standard methods and tests
These summaries support test selection and interpretation. Use the linked instrument instructions for administration and scoring. Each small diagram is an original visual summary, not a substitute for the protocol.
Standard testMeasurement
10-Meter Walk Test
A short, standardised assessment of walking speed. Specify comfortable or fast pace, the timed distance and whether the start is static or moving. Different published protocols use different acceleration and deceleration arrangements; report the exact version rather than silently pooling them.
Administration and reporting. Measure the specified distance and divide it by elapsed time to obtain m/s. Record the walking aid and assistance. Repeat with the same instructions and layout when assessing change.
Interpretation. A difference can reflect protocol variation as well as recovery. Consult population-specific repeatability and change estimates; do not transfer a threshold between diagnoses without evidence.
Standard testMeasurement
Timed Up and Go
A functional mobility sequence: rise from a chair, walk 3 metres, turn, return and sit. Total time integrates transfers, walking and turning, so two patients with the same time may have different limitations.
Administration and reporting. Use a consistent chair, footwear, aid and instruction. Instrumented versions can separate components, but their event definitions and validation need reporting alongside the total time.
Interpretation. Observe how the task is completed, not just how quickly. A single time threshold cannot provide a complete fall-risk assessment.
Standard testMeasurement
6-Minute Walk Test
A standardised timed-distance test used to assess sustained walking capacity. The endpoint is distance covered over six minutes, with protocol-defined instructions and monitoring.
Administration and reporting. Record course length, turns, rests, encouragement, aid and relevant symptoms. Follow the applicable clinical protocol, including eligibility and stopping criteria, rather than treating a daily walking app as an equivalent test.
Interpretation. Repeat testing may be influenced by learning and by course layout. Interpret change with evidence for the diagnosis and test conditions.
Standard testMeasurement
Functional Gait Assessment
The FGA examines postural stability while walking under changing task demands. Its 10 items extend assessment beyond comfortable straight-line walking, including more challenging locomotor tasks.
Administration and reporting. Items are scored from 0 to 3, for a maximum of 30. Use the published instructions and scoring criteria. The total is an ordinal clinical score, not a physical unit.
Interpretation. Consider floor and ceiling effects and population-specific measurement properties. Sensor-derived parameters can complement the assessment but are not automatically equivalent to its score.
Standard testMeasurement
Berg Balance Scale
The Berg Balance Scale samples balance through 14 functional tasks. It provides a structured clinical view of task performance rather than continuous gait monitoring.
Administration and reporting. Use the instrument’s task instructions and scoring criteria; the maximum total is 56. Record assistance and conditions so repeated assessments are interpretable.
Interpretation. Choose it for the population and construct it addresses. Static or functional balance performance does not encompass every challenge encountered during walking.
Standard testMeasurement
30-Second Chair Stand
Repeated sit-to-stand performance provides information about lower-limb functional strength. It complements walking measures in an older-adult falls assessment.
Administration and reporting. Follow the CDC protocol for chair setup, arm position and counting completed stands within 30 seconds. Record inability to perform the task under the specified conditions.
Interpretation. Changing the chair height or using the arms changes the task. Interpretation should use the appropriate reference, not a single universal cutoff.
Standard testMeasurement
4-Stage Balance Test
A progressive standing assessment examines the ability to hold increasingly challenging foot positions. It addresses balance under a defined task rather than movement exposure throughout the day.
Administration and reporting. Follow the CDC sequence and timing, with the prescribed support and safety procedures. Document the stage achieved and the duration maintained.
Interpretation. Do not substitute an unsupervised animation or wearable score for administration of the clinical test. Combine findings with other falls-assessment domains.
A practical study-appraisal checklist
- Specify the clinical question, target population and action the result could support.
- Confirm that the measurement and reference method match that question.
- Review absolute errors, repeatability and uncertainty for the relevant parameter.
- Check acquisition conditions, sensor placement and hardware/software versions.
- Examine valid wear, excluded observations and the handling of missing data.
- Separate laboratory performance from free-living performance.
- Assess patient burden, accessibility and usability in the intended population.
- Review funding, manufacturer involvement and external replication.
- Pre-specify analysis and decision thresholds before testing clinical benefit.