Reliability of an Instrumented Pressure Walkway for Measuring Walking and Running Characteristics in Young, Athletic Individuals

Alyx Jorgensen; Matthew McManigal; Austin Post; David Werner; Christopher Wichman; Matthew Tao; Elizabeth Wellsandt

doi:10.26603/001c.94606

Reliability of an Instrumented Pressure Walkway for Measuring Walking and Running Characteristics in Young, Athletic Individuals

Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2024 Apr 1;19(4):429-439. doi: 10.26603/001c.94606. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Alyx Jorgensen¹, Matthew McManigal², Austin Post³, David Werner⁴, Christopher Wichman⁵, Matthew Tao⁶, Elizabeth Wellsandt⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences; Medical Sciences Interdepartmental Area Program University of Nebraska Medical Center.
² Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Nebraska Medical Center.
³ College of Medicine University of Nebraska Medical Center.
⁴ Medical Sciences Interdepartmental Area Program; Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Nebraska Medical Center.
⁵ Department of Biostatistics University of Nebraska Medical Center.
⁶ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation; Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences University of Nebraska Medical Center.
⁷ Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Abstract

Background: Spatiotemporal parameters of gait are useful for identifying pathological gait patterns and presence of impairments. Reliability of the pressure-sensitive Zeno^TM Walkway has not been established in young, active individuals without impairments, and no studies to this point have included running.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to 1) determine if up to two additional trials of walking and running on the Zeno^TM Walkway are needed to produce consistent measurements of spatiotemporal variables, and 2) establish test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) values for common spatiotemporal variables measured during walking and running.

Study design: Cross-Sectional Laboratory Study.

Methods: Individuals (n=38) in this cross-sectional study walked and ran at self-selected comfortable speed on a pressure-sensitive Zeno^TM Walkway. Twenty-one participants returned for follow-up testing between one and 14 days later. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to assess reliability of spatiotemporal variable means using three, four, or five passes over the Zeno^TM Walkway and to assess test-retest reliability of spatiotemporal variables across sessions.

Results: All variables showed excellent reliability (ICC > 0.995) for walking and running when measured using three, four, or five passes. Additionally, all variables demonstrated moderate to excellent test-retest reliability during walking (ICC: 0.732-0.982) and running (ICC: 0.679-0.985).

Conclusion: This study establishes a reliable measurement protocol of three one-way passes when using the Zeno^TM Walkway for walking or running analysis. This is the first study to establish reliability of the Zeno^TM Walkway during running and in young, active individuals without neuromusculoskeletal pathology.

Level of evidence: 3b.

Keywords: biomechanics; gait; healthy; physical activity; test-retest reliability.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Nebraska Bankers Association and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The funding sources had no involvement in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript writing, or decision to submit the article for publication.