§ 01
Functional Independence Tests
Clinical fitness assessment

6-Minute Walk Test

Measure aerobic endurance and functional exercise capacity.

Equipment

Flat, measured course (e.g. 30 m corridor), cones, stopwatch.

The protocol
  1. 01Set up a flat, straight course (ideally 30 m). Mark turnaround points with cones.
  2. 02Client walks back and forth along the course as far as possible in 6 minutes.
  3. 03The client may slow down or stop to rest, but the clock continues.
  4. 04Give standardised encouragement at each minute: "You are doing well, keep going."
  5. 05At 6 minutes, say "Stop" and mark where they are.
  6. 06Measure total distance walked in metres.
What to watch for
  • Client jogging or running — must walk at all times.
  • Giving variable encouragement (this affects results — use standardised phrases).
  • Not accounting for rest periods.
  • Testing in a space that is too short, requiring too many turns.
Normative scoring

Age 60-64: M 558-672, F 498-604 m. Age 65-69: M 512-640, F 457-581. Age 70-74: M 498-622, F 439-562. Age 75-79: M 430-585, F 393-535. Age 80-84: M 407-553, F 352-494.

Run it with GainPT

Run this test with branded client reports.

GainPT scores 6-Minute Walk Test against published normative data and turns it into a clean, GainPT-branded PDF your client keeps. All 47 clinical tests, unlimited retests — free to start, no card required.