The Groningen Meander Walking Test: a reliable and valid test for assessing advanced walking ability in people with Parkinson's disease.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Groningen Meander Walk Test (GMWT).

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Forty-six people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) and 32 controls were included. Reliability was determined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and the minimal detectable change (MDC). Correlations between the completion time (CT) and overstep score (OS) of the GMWT and the other balance and disease severity specific tools were used to assess validity. The CT and OS of the GMWT were also compared between fallers and non-fallers among PwPD.

RESULTS

The GMWT times demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.964) while overstep scores had good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.757). The MDC was 1.72 s for CT and 1.64 s for OS. The CT of the GMWT showed moderate to strong correlations with the other measures (correlation coefficients ranged from 0.530 to 0.847, p < 0.05 for all), while the OS showed fair to moderate correlations (correlation coefficients ranged from -0.361 to 0.660, p < 0.05 for all). Significant differences in the GMWT were found between PwPD and healthy controls and between fallers and non-fallers with PwPD (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The GMWT is a reliable and valid tool for quantifying the advanced walking skills of PwPD. Implications for RehabilitationThe Groningen Meander Walk Test is a reliable, valid, and easy-to-administer clinical assessment tool in people with Parkinson's disease.The Groningen Meander Walk Test can be used for assessing advanced walking ability in people with Parkinson's disease.The Groningen Meander Walk Test can detect fallers and freezers with Parkinson's disease.