A chair that can easily be moved along the walking course. Six minute walk test form qxq, smw, version 1,0 71211 page 1 of 4 instructions for six minute walk test form smw, version 1. If the two tests are performed on the same day, at least 30 minutes rest should be allowed between tests. Many countries have established normal values to the six minute walking test. Flat straight corridor or hallway 30m 100ft long marked every 3 m. Standardisation of the sixminute walk test 6mwt is very important. The six minute walking test is safe and widely performed in the world because of its easy implementation and low cost. The 6 minute walk test 6mwt is a measure of how far a person can walk in 6 minutes and is a valid and reliable indicator of aerobic fitness. You should wear normal comfortable clothing and flat shoes suitable for walking in. Six minute walk test 6mwt n u r s e t a l k i n g t i p s h e e t this nurse tip sheet was developed by aahfn as resource in facilitating. The two minute walk test 2mwt is less well validated than the wellknown six minute walk test 6mwt as a field walking test in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd. It provides a simple and inexpensive means to measure functional exercise capacity in children, even of young age, and might be of value when conducting comparable studies.
Reproducibility of 6minute walking test in patients with. This test measures the distance that a patient can quickly walk on a flat, hard surface in a period of 6 minutes the 6mwd. The 6 minute walk distance 6 mwd provides a measure for integrated global response of multiple cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems involved in exercise. Patients are asked to walk as far as possible in 6 min along a flat corridor. Physiotherapy rehabilitation of osteoporotic vertebral fracture guidelines for use of rpe scale in 6 minute walk test recording the patients rating of perceived exertion the rating of perceived exertion rpe is the objective measure used in the 6 minute walking test 6mwt.
In an attempt to accommodate patients with respiratory disease for whom walking 12 minutes was too exhausting, a 6 minute walk was found to perform as well as the 12 minute walk 8. Leila ghofraniha1, zahra dalir sani1,farrveh vakilian2. Pdf on nov 1, 2005, lars olsson and others published six minute walk test find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Not established miscellaneous links back pain functional scale pdf. However, it may have a role in clinical practice as a routine part of evaluation as many patients avoid. You will probably get out of breath or become exhausted. Participants will walk around the perimeter of a set circuit for a total of six minutes. Six minute walk test 6 minute walk test physiopedia. Pdf a mobile app for the sixminute walk test preprint.
Fifty clinically stable cf patients were included in the study. General instructions the six minute walk test form is filled out by the study clinician conducting the test. Six minute walking test for assessing exercise capacity in. Have the patient sit in a chair and obtain information needed from patient to complete the top of the 6 minute walk flow sheet. The improvement in the results of the sixminute walk test was greater in the group performing nordic walking 22% in comparison with 17% in the control group.
Using a paper copy of the form to record the data while the test is in progress is recommended. Mcgavin and colleagues in 1976, timedistance walk testing has become widely used as an indicator of functional capacity. Cooper in 1968 to have a good correlation with treadmillmeasured maximum oxygen consumption in u. Physiotherapy rehabilitation of osteoporotic vertebral. Therefore, the 12min exercise test has been modified and shortened to a 6 min walking test. If the track needs to be adapted or shortened due to lack of space, ensure that the patient walks the same course on each retest. Assesses distance walked over 6 minutes as a submaximal test of aerobic. The 6 min walk test 6mwt is a commonly used test for the objective assessment of functional exercise capacity for the management of patients with moderatetosevere pulmonary disease. It consists of instructing patients to walk as far as they can during 6 minutes. Rate of perceived dyspnea 0 not at all 1 very slight 2 slight 3 moderate 4 somewhat hard 5 severe 6 7 very severe 8 9 10 very, very severe.
In fact, the regression equations published in the literature for the 6mwt present great variability in their results. This measure is an easytoimplement in the clinic to establish a baseline level of impairment, monitor disease progression and evaluate the effectiveness of current therapeutic. Changes in the 6 minute walk distance 6mwd are used to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic. The patient is instructed to walk as far as possible on a. This suggestion is based on a single study only that reports instruction to resume walking if s po 2 rises above 80% and not 85%, citing these two documents. Butland further defined the test into two and six minute increments. Obtain order from physician or health care provider to perform 6 minute walk oximetry study. The walking test was also adapted to assess disability in patients with chronic bronchitis 7. While the two minute version of the test is less discriminatory and the 12 minute test too long for most. Introduction walking is a daily activity which can be performed by all individuals 1. The american thoracic society has issued guidelines for the 6minute walk test 6mwt. The six minute walk distance in healthy adults has been reported to range from 400m to 700m 23.
Reference equations for the 6 minute walk test the walking velocity during the 6mwt is selfcontrolled, the 6mwd is extremely variable in healthy individuals5. The shuttlewalking test is similar to the 6mwt, but it uses an audio signal from a tape cassette to direct the walking pace of the patient back and forth on a 10m course 4345. The 6 minute walk test 6mwt is used to assessaerobic capacity1 and walking function2 in various populations. Pdf sixminute walking test in children researchgate. In the early 1960s, balke tried to evaluate the exercise capacity of healthy individuals by a 12 minute walk test within.
Six minute walk test 6 mwt n u r s e t a l k i n g t i p s h e e t this nurse tip sheet was developed by aahfn as resource in facilitating patient education. The sixminute walk is a better outcome measure than. Reference equations for the 6minute walk test in healthy. The sixminute walk test 6mwt journal of cardiothoracic. Oct 01, 2017 for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd, undergoing lung function testing, such as pulmonary function tests, is a typical occurrence. Six minutes is a long time to walk, so you will be exerting yourself. Clinical usefulness and limitations of the 6minute walk. Pulse oximetry oxygen saturation during the 6min walk test. P six minute walk test 6mwt, a biomarker in this context, offers a window into the functional status of patients. The 6 minute walk test is a submaximal exercise test used to assess aerobic. The test has since been used as a performancebased measure of functional exercise capacity in other populations including healthy older adults, people undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty, fibromyalgia, and scleroderma.
The reproducibility of the 6 min walking test 6mwt needs to be more solidly studied. Sixminute walk test pulmonary rehabilitation toolkit. Assistive devices can be used but must be documented. Sixminute walk test versus threeminute step test for. Reference american thoracic society 2002 ats statement. The six minute walk test for children with cerebral palsy. This test requires approximately minutes to administer.
Jan 12, 2016 the aim of this study was therefore to compare the incremental shuttle walk test iswt and 6 min walk test 6mwt, and to determine the factors influencing exercise capacity in cf. The shuttlewalking test is similar to the 6mwt, but it uses an audio signal from a tape cassette to direct the walking pace of the patient back and forth on a 10m course 4447. The 6mwt has been used for morbidity and mortality prognosis in clients with left ventricular. Pdf the sixminute walk test for children with cerebral. Part of your treatment plan may include pulmonary rehabilitationa program that combines exercise, education and support to help people learn to breathe and function at the highest level possible. Six minute walk test an overview sciencedirect topics. The 6 minute walk test is a submaximal exercise test used to assess aerobic capacity and endurance. The 6 min walk test 6mwt is costeffective and welldocumented field test for assessing functional exercise capacity and response to medical interventions in diverse patient groups, and predicting cardiorespiratory fitness among healthy people. Six minute walk test instructions and tracking sheet. The six minute walk test 6mwt for the evaluation of pulmonary diseases. Age and sexspecific reference standards are available and may be helpful for interpreting 6mwt scores for both healthy adults and those with chronic diseases 47.
Ats statement guidelines for the sixminute walk test american. This exercise procedure has been used extensively in patients with cardiovascular or pulmonary disease. The score of the test is the distance a patient walks in 6 minutes. This statement provides practical guidelines for the 6 minute walk test 6mwt. The 6minute walk test 6mwt measures the distance that a person can walk in 6 minutes and has been used extensively as an outcome measure in patients with various cardiac and pulmonary diseases.
Obtain baseline vitals on the patient and use the borg scale for dyspnea. The object of this test is to walk as far as possible for 6 minutes. A six minute walk test is usually performed at the start of a pulmonary rehabilitation program or to evaluate a person for lung surgery, and is often part of a standard treatment plan for those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd. The six minute walking test 6mwt was developed by the american thoracic society. Mar 08, 1986 all subjects preferred performing the six minute walking test to the treadmill exercise test, considering it to be more closely related to their daily physical activity. This modified 6 minute walk test 6mwt proved to be safe, easy to perform, and highly acceptable to children. It provides additional information so the nurse can supplement patient teaching with the corresponding patient tip sheet.
We aimed to provide and validate normal reference values of the 6mwd for healthy. The 6 minute walk distance calculates reference values for distance walked, as a measure of functional status. The 6mwt is a practical, simple, selfpaced walking test that assesses the submaximal level of functional exercise capacity. Technical standard for functional exercise testing 6 minute. Heart rate drops more than 15 beats per minute given the subject was walking the last minute of the test vs. The 6minute walk distance 6 mwd provides a measure for integrated global response of multiple cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems involved in exercise. Six minute walk test 6mwt instructions set up ideally the test should be conducted on a straight 30 metre track1. General description of procedure, equipment, technique the 6 min walk test 6 mwt is a submaximal exercise test that entails measurement of distance walked over a span of 6 minutes. The purpose of this study was to compare 2 practical measures of functional endurance. Lap counter or mark laps on flow sheet two small cones to mark the turnaround points.
The six minute walk test 6mwt is a test that can aid in assessing the functional capacity of patients with cardiopulmonary disease. The original purpose of the six minute walk was to test exercise tolerance in chronic respiratory disease and heart failure. General description of procedure, equipment, technique the 6min walk test 6 mwt is a submaximal exercise test that entails measurement of distance walked over a span of 6 minutes. The distance achieved, the 6 minute walking distance 6mwd has been.
The 6 minute walk test is an important test that helps determine a treatment plan for pulmonary arterial hypertension patients. The sixminute walk test 6mwt for the evaluation of. The patient may take as many standing rests as they like, but the timer should keep going and record the number of rests taken and the total rest time. The six minute walking test 6mwt was developed by the american thoracic society and it was officially introduced in 2002, coming along with a comprehensive guideline. This study aimed to investigate the reproducibility of two 6mwts performed on subsequent days in a large and representative sample of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease copd, and to quantify the learning effect between the two tests, as well as its determinants. M f i medical history checked medical clearance provided for the patient to participate in exercise testing contraindications to 6mwt. Technical standard for functional exercise testing 6. Jul 01, 2014 it is also important to point out that in both the silc and goals trials, participants randomized to the control groups experienced declines in the six minute walk test at six month followup, consistent with the natural history of declining walking endurance in patients with pad 18,37.
The six minute walk test 6mwt is a timedistance walk, and it was first introduced by balke back in the 1960s. Furthermore, patients often lack the motivation and may be anxious to exercise for such a long period of time. A list of resources is provided for additional information. Dr refsgaard 1 and dr hager have commented our article regarding six minute walk test 6mwt. Background the 6 minute walking test 6mwt is a simple method used to evaluate exercise capacity in adults and children with cardiac diseases.
Number of test items 1 item scoring the score of the test is the distance a patient walks in 6 minutes. The walking speed is increased every minute, and the test ends when the patient cannot. The six minute walk test can be utilized to estimate physical fitness of pediatric patients with cardiovascular, pulmonary or neurological impairments. Use their presently used walking aids and orthoses during the test. Dinesh khanna, in rheumatology sixth edition, 2015. The sixminutewalk test 6mwt, a biomarker in this context, offers a window into the functional status of patients. Specifically, the six minute walk test smwt and three minute step test tmst were compared to determine their appropriateness for use as field tests and inclusion in the nih toolbox for assessment of neurological and behavioral function. If the track needs to be adapted or shortened due to lack of space, ensure that the patient walks the same course on each re test. The walking speed is increased every minute, and the test ends when the patient cannot reach the turnaround point within the required time. If the two tests are performed on the same day, at least 30 minutes rest should be. The 6 minute walking test 6mwt is a widely available and welltolerated test for the assessment of the functional capacity of patients with hf.
Six minute walk test 6mwt recording form affix patient label here patient id. While the six minute walk test seems like a simplistic tool for measuring your lung function, the test should be performed with proper medical supervisionnot on your own. Unlike pulmonary function testing, the 6mwt captures the often coexisting extrapulmonary manifestations of chronic respiratory disease, including cardiovascular disease, frailty, sarcopenia, and cancer. Standardisation of the six minute walk test 6mwt is very important. The six minute walk test 6mwt is a common clinical instrument for assessing patients functional capacity.
Jun 14, 2010 six minute walk test ysumediaacademiccomp. It is the dedication of healthcare workers that will lead us through this crisis. Strengths and limitations of the sixminutewalk test. The goal of this test is to assess the distance you can cover during 6 minutes. North shore university hospital at northwell health. At the commencement of pr, the 6mwt must be performed twice to account for a learning effect. Six minute walking test and the assessment of cardiorespiratory responses during weightloss programmes in obese children.
Reference values for 10metre walk test and 6 minute walk test mdc 90 10mwt 0. In patients with lowerlimb amputations it can be used to assist with functional level classification3 and prediction of prosthesis nonuse at 1 year followup. Six minute walk test versus incremental shuttle walk test in. Although the cardiopulmonary exercise test a maximal exercise test remains the gold standard for the evaluation of exercise capacity in patients with hf, the. The six minute test is a simple objective guide to disability in patients with chronic heart failure and could be of particular value in assessing patients with severe heart. The original version of the test was actually a 12 minute running test, showed by k. Six minute walk test form qxq, smw, version 1,0 712. Ats statement guidelines for the sixminute walk test. Normal reference values in pediatric populations have been reported, but significant variations in the walking distance 6mwd were noted among different studies. Goodman bs rrt any patient who has been diagnosed with either cardiac or pulmonary disease has probably had a six minute walk test ordered by their physician.
Sixminute walk test key points the 6mwt must be performed twice to account for a learning curve. The original version of the test was actually a 12minute running test, showed by k. The distance covered over a time of 6 minutes is used as the outcome by. Six minute walk test 6mwt instructions heart online. Guidelines for the six minute walk test american journal of respiratory critical care medicine. The reproducibility of the 6min walking test 6mwt needs to be more solidly studied. The six minute walk test paul l enright md introduction standards and indications 6 minute walk test versus shuttle walk test safety variables measured conducting the test ensuring quality factors that influence 6 minute walk distance interpreting the results improving the 6 minute walk distance summary.
The 6minute walking test 6mwt is a widely available and welltolerated test for the assessment of the functional capacity of patients with hf. Six minute walk test european heart journal oxford academic. Distance in feet distance in meters mph metersmin1 vo2mlkg1min1 mets 500 152. Six minute walk test 6mwt overview the 6mwt isa submaximal exercise testused to assess walking endurance and aerobic capacity. The 6mwt is safer, easier to administer, better tolerated, and better. The 6minute walk testan outcome measure for pulmonary arterial hypertension.