6 Minute Walk Test Calculator (6MWT)

Know the reference values for a distance covered in six minutes by a patient with the 6 minute walk test calculator. The test is used to analyze the functional status of a patient’s body prognosis under cardiopulmonary conditions.

What Is The 6-Minute Walk Test?

It is a test during which the predicted distance covered within six minutes is recorded to analyze a patient’s fitness.

This test was developed by the ‘American Thoracic Society’, in the year 2002. It is utilized as a simple measure of aerobic exercise capacity.

Typically, this test is considered for individuals who are suffering from pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, pre-lung transplant evaluation, or COPD.

6 Minute Walk Test Formula:

For Men:

6MWD in meters = (7.57 × height in cm) – (5.02 × age) – (1.76 × weight in kg) – 309

Lower Limit of Normal In Men:

Lower limit of normal = 6MWD – 153

For Women:

6MWD in meters = (2.11 × height in cm) – (2.29 × weight in kg) – (5.78 × age) + 667

Lower Limit of Normal In Women:

Lower limit of normal = 6MWD – 139

Reference Study: 6 minute walk test predictive equations were first introduced by Enright and colleagues in the year 1998. For this purpose, they conducted a detailed series of experiments on healthy adults (117 Men & 173 Women) between ages 40-80.

Example:

Suppose you are about to do an assessment test of a patient’s functionality with the following perspectives:

Gender: Male
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 75
Predicted Distance Walked: 1000 feet

Here we have:

6MWD in meters = (7.57 × height in cm) – (5.02 × age) – (1.76 × weight in kg) – 309

6MWD in meters = (7.57 × 174) – (5.02 × 26) – (1.76 × 75) – 309

6MWD in meters = 1317.18 – 130.52 – 132 – 309

6MWD in meters = 745.66

Checking if the answer falls within the 6MWD norm:

Lower limit of normal = 6MWD – 153

Lower limit of normal = 745.66 – 153

Lower limit of normal = 592.66

As you see, the patient walked up to 1000 feet which is higher than the lower limit calculated. So we have:

% expected = 1000 / 745.66 × 100%

% expected = 1.34 × 100%

% expected = 134%

Conditions Where 6MWT Can Be Used:

Arthritis
Fibromyalgia
Geriatrics
Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson’s Disease
Spinal Cord Injury
Stroke
Muscle disorders
Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Weight Loss Effect On 6MWD:

Low weight will certainly help you to walk more predicted distance during a 6 minute walk test. Your body (especially your heart and lungs) has to work less to let you cover larger distances in six minutes. Also, the calculator shows remarkably larger numbers with such credentials input into it.

Best Method To Improve Results of 6MWD:

If you are looking to improve your 6MWD test output, then you should practice walking at least 7000-10000 steps in a single day. Also, increasing or decreasing the pace during the walk might prove to be fruitful results.

Relevant Questions Patients Ask:

How Far Can a Person Walk In 6 Minutes?

The ATS (American Thoracic Society) states that for healthy adults, the 6 minute walk distance as calculated ranges from 400 to 700 meters.

What Is a Six Minute Walk Test For COPD?

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) affects everyone differently. Lung functions and even exercise tolerance testing help MEDICAL Experts and patients work together to create the best treatment plan.

What Does a 6-Minute Walk Test Measure?

Typically, the 6MWT vo2max is used to identify the walking test capacity of people when they’re suffering from respiratory diseases.

These include coronary heart disease and asthma and when they have problems in their knees and hip bones to administer a person’s perception of oxygen & dyspnea saturation in blood pressure during exertion.

Is 6-Minute Walk Test An Assessment of VO2 Max?

No! VO2 max is the quantity of oxygen your body intakes and expends to perform an activity of one minute. This test is not a six-minute walking test because it is often taken to note the maximum activity performance of athletes.

If your goal comes up with calculating the functional status of cardio randomly, then the 6 minute walk distance calculator is the best option to go by.

Factors Affecting 6MWD:

6MWT vo2max Increasing Factors	6MWT vo2max Decreasing Factors
Male gender	Female gender
Higher muscle mass	Higher body weight
Taller heights	Shorter heights*
Past performance of test	Patient’s decreased motivation / Older age
Patient’s increased motivation	Presence of cardiovascular or pulmonary condition