Exam

Six-Minute Walk Test

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Six-Minute Walk Test, 6 Minute Walk Test

  • See Also
  1. Activities of Daily Living
  2. Activities of Daily Living Scale
  3. Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
  4. Activity in the Elderly
  5. Congestive Heart Failure
  • Indications
  1. Evaluation of Older Adult Functioning
  2. Evaluation of CHF Function (predicts mortality)
  • Contraindications
  1. Musculoskeletal disorder interfering with ambulation
  2. Ambulatory aid use
  3. Resting Oxygen Saturation <90%
  4. Chest Pain within prior month
  5. Myocardial Infarction, PTCA, or CABG within 3 months
  6. Resting Heart Rate <50 or >110 beats per minute
  • Preparation
  1. Set-up unobstructed hallway with known distance
    1. Ideal distance: 50 feet (100 feet round-trip)
    2. Mark floor with tape signifying start and end
  2. Place chair at each end of hallway
  • Instructions for patient
  1. Walk at your own pace and stop to rest if needed
  2. Cover as much distance as possible
  • Questionaire for patient
  1. Rate your Shortness of Breath before and after test
  2. Symptoms after test
    1. Chest Pain
    2. Light Headedness
    3. Leg Pain
    4. Other symptoms
  • Interpretation
  • General functioning in older adults
  1. Symptoms in <25% of participants
  2. Study mean walk distance (n=2117)
    1. Men: 1188 feet
    2. Women: 1089 feet
  3. References
    1. Enright (2003) Chest 123:387-98 [PubMed]
  1. Distance walked: <984 feet (300 meters)
    1. Hospitalization rate in 1 year: 40.9%
    2. Mortality rate in 1 year: 10.2%
  2. Distance walked: <1227 feet (374 meters)
    1. Hospitalization rate in 1 year: 33.6%
    2. Mortality rate in 1 year: 7.9%
  3. Distance walked: <1473 feet (449 meters)
    1. Hospitalization rate in 1 year: 27.4%
    2. Mortality rate in 1 year: 4.2%
  4. Distance walked: >1474 feet (450 meters)
    1. Hospitalization rate in 1 year: 19.9%
    2. Mortality rate in 1 year: 3.0%
  5. References
    1. Bittner (1993) JAMA 270:1702-7 [PubMed]