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Session: Motion
Session starts: Thursday 26 January, 14:30
Presentation starts: 15:45
Room: Room 531

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Mariano Bernaldo de Quiros (University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, department of Neurology, The Netherlands)
Inge van den Akker-Scheek ()
Claudine Lamoth ()
Natasha Maurits ()

Abstract:
Introduction: Distance-limited walking tests, like the 10 m walking test, are common to assess walking ability in patients with motor problems, such as Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Several studies have compared their reliability to longer tests like the 6-minute test, with mixed results depending on the disease and walking ability [1-3]. Wearable sensor technology that patients can wear during their activities of daily living can help understanding the differences between controlled and free gait performance. In this study we compared distance-limited and free-living gait, using wearable sensors and well-known algorithms to obtain gait characteristics. Methods: Thirty-six healthy participants (18 < 30 years old, 17 > 60 years old), and nine Parkinson’s Disease patients (four in-clinic, five at-home) were recruited and fitted with Inertial Measurements Units on both wrists, right thigh and right shank. All participants, except the at-home patients, were asked to perform a distance-limited walking test (8 m for healthy participants, 10 m for PD) and then to perform the activities of their choice in a free-living environment, with at least one longer walking period being encouraged. Once the data were retrieved, pre-processed and the activities labelled (using video for healthy and in-clinic participants, and a human activity recognition algorithm for at-home patients) several gait characteristics, such as speed, symmetry, harmonicity and entropy were calculated for the distance-limited and free-living walking periods. These characteristics were then compared using ANOVA tests. Results: Most gait characteristics were similar for distance-limited and free-living walking. However, entropy, which is a more subtle gait characteristic, did differ between the two walking conditions for all studied groups (p < 0.05 after false discovery rate correction). Discussion: Although distance-limited walking tests provide a simple and fast method to assess walking ability, they may not be fully representative of unrestricted gait. The study of longer, unsupervised periods of free-living walking by means of wearable sensors and human activity recognition algorithms may allow a more ecologically valid assessment of a patient’s walking ability. References: [1] Duncan RP, Combs-Miller SA, McNeely ME, et al. Are the average gait speeds during the 10meter and 6minute walk tests redundant in Parkinson disease?. Gait Posture. 2017;52:178-182. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.11.033 [2] Amatachaya S, Naewla S, Srisim K, Arrayawichanon P, Siritaratiwat W. Concurrent validity of the 10-meter walk test as compared with the 6-minute walk test in patients with spinal cord injury at various levels of ability. Spinal Cord. 2014;52(4):333-336. doi:10.1038/sc.2013.171 [3] Forrest GF, Hutchinson K, Lorenz DJ, et al. Are the 10 meter and 6 minute walk tests redundant in patients with spinal cord injury?. PLoS One. 2014;9(5):e94108. Published 2014 May 1. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0094108