Process / pipelineEndurance and functional capacity

Six-Minute Walk Test

The Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a submaximal exercise assessment measuring the total distance a person can walk in six minutes at a self-selected pace. Developed by Guyatt and colleagues in 1985, the 6MWT has become the standard submaximal functional exercise test for patients with cardiopulmonary disease, quantifying exercise tolerance and predicting outcomes in conditions ranging from chronic heart failure to pulmonary hypertension to neuromuscular disorders.

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Sources

  1. Guyatt, G. H., Sullivan, M. J., Thompson, P. J., Fallen, E. L., Pugsley, S. O., Taylor, D. W., & Berman, L. B. (1985). The 6-minute walk: A new measure of exercise tolerance in patients with chronic heart failure. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 132(8), 919-923. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.309.6951.432
  2. American Thoracic Society. (2002). ATS statement: Guidelines for the six-minute walk test. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 166(1), 111-117. DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.166.1.at1102

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ScholarGateSix-Minute Walk Test (Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT)). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/physical-therapy/six-minute-walk-test