Patient: Date: Time: AM/PM

The 4-Meter Walking Trial

Purpose: Alternative protocol to collecting normal gait speed

NOTE: Please use this protocol if you do not typically collect gait speed as part of your
evaluation or outcome measures. If you already have a standardized protocol in place,
please collect gait speed using that protocol.

Equipment: A stopwatch, measuring tape, tape to mark start and end points

Set-Up Instructions: Measure a 4-meter distance and mark the start and end points on
the floor. Be sure the walkway is clear of any obstacles or changes in surface material.
You may include a short “acceleration” and “deceleration” zone, if you have enough
space.

Assessment Instructions:
Have the patient begin at the start point or, if available, a few feet before the start point
in the acceleration zone.

Verbal Instructions to Patient: After I say "begin", please walk at your usual walking
pace until I tell you that you may stop.

Say “Ready, begin” and begin timing on the stopwatch when the patient begins
walking. Stop timing on the stopwatch when the patient reaches/crosses the 4- meter
mark. Say "Stop" after the patient has crossed the end point or enters the deceleration
zone.

Walk with the patient along the path while he or she is walking for safety.

Complete the walking trial two times. For each of the two trials, record the time (to the
nearest tenth of a second, 0.0 sec) that it took the patient to walk four meters.

Record the patient's gait speed (in meters/second) as the average of the two trials:
Trail 1:
Gait speed: 4 meters / (time to walk four meters _____ seconds) = ______m/s

Trial 2:
Gait speed: 4 meters / (time to walk four meters _____ seconds) = ______m/s

AVERAGE GAIT SPEED: _______m/s