Six Minute Walk Test
Utilize this downloadable Six Minute Walk Test and more accurately observe and assess the fitness and exercise tolerance of your clients.
Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.
What Is A Six Minute Walk Test?
or 6MWT is designed to measure the distance that an individual can walk in a span of six minutes. This assessment tool is used to observe the exercise tolerance or fitness of the examinee. This is intended to reveal any conditions in various systems. It may, for example, provide more information about the tester's pulmonary and cardiovascular systems, physical fitness, circulatory system, nerve and muscle units, metabolic health, and peripheral circulation.
6MWT is a low-risk medical exam. While the test is being performed, medical assistance is readily available.
6MWT must be performed with an observer and indoors, along a long, level, enclosed hallway on a firm surface with little traffic. If the weather permits, the evaluation may take place outside. The walking path must be at least 30 meters long.
As a result, a 100-foot hallway is required. Markers should be placed every 3 meters along the corridor's length. It is recommended to use a cone to mark the turnaround points (such as an orange traffic cone). Each 60-meter lap should begin with a starting line marked on the floor with contrastingly colored tape.
The following may be required to conduct the assessment:
- Stopwatch
- Measuring instrument (meters)
- A 30-meter hallway with little traffic
- Two cones to indicate the distance to be traveled or any markings
Optional equipment:
- Heart rate and SpO2 are measured using a pulse oximeter
- Borg Scale of Breathlessness
It is important to note that you can eat a light meal prior to your test, and you can take your usual medications. However, do not exercise within two hours of testing. It is also recommended to avoid wearing restrictive clothing, drinking, smoking, or eating a heavy meal. You might also wear clothes and shoes that are comfortable to you, and you can use walking aids such as a cane or walker.
During the test, blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen levels will be measured before you start walking. You are then instructed to walk as far as possible for six minutes at a normal pace and then turn around. The test means that you walk back and forth for six minutes. If you experience any chest pain or breathing difficulties, it is important to let the tester know. You may also slow down, rest, or stop. Within every minute interval, you will be given an update. It is important to note that this is a low-risk evaluation, and it's easy to carryout.
The healthy range is typically 400 to 700 metres, however, this can be influenced by many factors such as age, sex, and other health conditions. The higher a person's score, the better the exercise tolerance. This means that a low score is typically associated with a lower function.
Printable Six Minute Walk Test
Download this Six Minute Walk Test and assess the fitness level of your clients.
How To Use This Six Minute Walk Test?
Step One: Download the Template
You can save the free PDF template to your device or access it from the Carepatron template library, which gives you more design and content options.
Step Two: Gather Patient Data & Vitals
Record the necessary patient information for identification. Then begin taking vital signs and recording them on the template for a quick assessment of the patient's overall health.
Step Three: Fill out the form
Document all the data from the observation. Ensure that the information is accurate based on the assessment conducted.
Step Four: Secure the data
Once everything has been properly recorded, you should keep this document organized and secure. Treat this document with care and professionalism due to the patient's confidentiality and the importance of the information contained within it.
Six Minute Walk Test Example (Sample)
This Free Six Minute Walk Test Sample will help understand the form and how to properly record all the information in administrating the examination. Feel free to download this 6MWT Template in PDF to see how accessible and easy to use this document is. All sections are clickable and ready for you to start recording the information of the examinee.
Download this Six Minute Walk Test Example (Sample) here:
When Would You Typically Use This Six Minute Walk Test?
There are various ailments that the 6MWT help in assessing an individual’s condition. Initially, this test was to measure or screen the heart and lung condition of the examinees. Over time, doctors use this test to examine more conditions like the following:
- Arthritis
- Stroke Rehabilitation
- Spine Injury
- Joint Conditions/Injuries
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Pain Management
- Neurologic Rehabilitation
The 6MWT has also been used to detect changes in exercise tolerance following interventions in healthy older adults as well as people with rheumatic conditions such as knee or hip osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. The 6MWT has been used in the treatment of a number of other conditions, including heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and stroke. It has also been used to forecast hospitalizations and deaths.
Who Can Use these Printable Six Minute Walk Tests?
This Six Minute Walk Test serves a lot of healthcare professionals because of the variety of purposes which evolves over time. Primarily, this assessment was for practitioners who specialize in Heart and Lung conditions to measure the functionality and tolerance in an individual.
Since it has evolved into a tool for Physical Therapy and Fitness, it serves all other professionals too. Although there is a wide use for this tool, it can only be used by specialists who have been medically trained as the sections would need expertise in measuring particular vitals and in the utilization of medical equipment.
The listed professionals below are the potentials users of this test:
- Physical Therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Recreational Physical Therapists
- General Health Practitioners
- Physicians
- Sports or Fitness Clinicians
- Cardiologists
- Pulmonologists
Benefits Of Free Six-Minute Walk Test
Develops Robust Functional Outcome Measurement
Numerous more metrics may be used by your physical therapist to evaluate your physical treatment progress. Your strength and range of motion are measured. Furthermore, posture and balance can be evaluated. Functional outcome measurements, however, are equally crucial for monitoring your physical therapy progress.
Improves Monitoring Process
Any workout that tests your body's capacity for sustained movement and exercise will help you do better on the 6MWT. And of all of these, walking is probably the greatest option. Why? As the 6MWT requires walking, increasing your walking tolerance through training will probably help you perform better on the test.
Accessible Instrument
This template is made to be very easy to use. It helps increase the time in focusing on the actual progress of the patient than researching how to reproduce a 6MWT Test or create one manually.
Inexpensive
One of Carepatron’s aims is to make medical or clinical documentation accessible and free of charge. This template can be downloaded for free, making it easier for healthcare practitioners to deliver quality care services to patients in need.
Why Use Carepatron For Six Minute Walk Test Software?
Think about using Carepatron for all of your medical practice administration needs. You may considerably improve the caliber and level of your practice with Carepatron, and you can make sure that you can always reproduce a Six Minute Walk Test Template.
You can use a number of tools, templates, and instructions to increase the effectiveness of your services when you have access to a large resource library. In addition to this, you can benefit from a variety of other high-tech features like appointment booking and scheduling, reminders for appointments to decrease no-shows, video chatting, consulting services, and online payments. Additionally, you can implement accurate medical billing and coding procedures as well as patient portals to improve the client experience.
Join the successful healthcare community here at Carepatron. Be one of us today, for free!
Commonly asked questions
The Six Minute Walk Test is a low-risk clinical evaluation. While the assessment is being conducted, Medical help is readily available.
Assistive devices are permitted, however, they have to be recorded. If a patient needs help, only the bare minimal help needed for them to finish the task should be given. Nonetheless, the level of assistance recorded should reflect the most significant amount of assistance offered during the test.
Follow this standardized instruction when conducting the six Minute Walk Test:
“The goal of this exam is to walk as far as you can for six minutes. In this hallway, you will circle around several times. You'll be working out because six minutes is a long time to stroll. You'll likely grow fatigued or run out of breath. You may slow down, stop, and rest as needed. You may rest by leaning against the wall, but begin moving again as soon as you are able. You will be circling the cones by walking back and forth. You should quickly turn around the cones and immediately go back the opposite way. I'll demonstrate it to you right now. Please see how I quickly turn.”
