6-Minute Walk Test(6MWT)
Scoring
Administration.
Straight 30-meter (or longer) hallway with marked turns. Standardized instructions: "walk as far as you can in 6 minutes." Allow rests; clock continues. Record vitals before/after and RPE at end. Same assistive device on retest. Time: 8–10 minutes including setup.
Scoring.
Total meters walked.
MDC and MCID, stroke-specific.
- Stroke MCID (subacute, 2 months post-stroke) = 34.4 m anchored to mRS or ~71 m anchored to SIS-16 (Fulk GD, He Y. *J Neurol Phys Ther*. 2018;42:235–240).
- Stroke MDC ≈ 36 m in subacute stroke (Fulk GD, Echternach JL. *J Neurol Phys Ther*. 2008;32:8–13).
Cut-points.
6MWT ≥288 m discriminates independent community ambulators after stroke (Fulk GD, He Y, Boyne P, Dunning K. *Stroke*. 2017;48:406–411).
Bedside interpretation
What it measures.
Walking endurance and submaximal aerobic capacity — total distance covered in 6 minutes of self-paced walking.
History.
Adapted from Cooper's 12-minute run; standardized in ATS Statement (*Am J Respir Crit Care Med*. 2002;166:111–117). Core Set CPG (Moore 2018) gives a moderate recommendation (Level I) in adult neurologic rehabilitation.
When to use.
Walking patients with endurance goals — community ambulation, return-to-work, cardiorespiratory progression. Pair with 10MWT.
When not to use.
Non-ambulatory patients (score 0 m per Core Set conventions if goals/capacity exist; otherwise document as not appropriate). Insufficient hallway length.