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The Feasibility of Six-Minute and Two-Minute Walk Tests in In-patient Geriatric Rehabilitation*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Dina Brooks ,
Aileen M. Davis  and
Gary Naglie
Dina Brooks*
Affiliation:
Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
Aileen M. Davis
Affiliation:
Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
Gary Naglie
Affiliation:
Graduate Department of Rehabilitation Science, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto, and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à: Dr. Dina Brooks, Department of Physical Therapy, 500 University Avenue, Room 160, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1V7. (dina.brooks@utoronto.ca)
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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of the 6-minute and 2-minute walk tests in frail older persons.

Design: Pre/post–design with measures at admission and discharge to in-patient geriatric rehabilitation.

Participants: Fifty-two subjects (35 women, 17 men; age 80 ± 8 years).

Results: Only 1 of the first 8 subjects could complete a single trial of the 6-minute walk test at admission. The 2-minute walk test was feasible in this population, with 50 (out of 52) subjects able to complete at least one trial at admission. There was an increase in distance walked when three trials of the 2-minute walk were performed, at both admission and discharge (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: The 2-minute walk test is a feasible measure of functional capacity and was better tolerated than the 6-minute walk test in older persons in geriatric rehabilitation. Consideration needs to be given to the potential of a training effect or the need for repeated measures to obtain a best estimate for the 2-minute walk test.

Résumé

Objectif: Déterminer la faisabilité des tests de marche de six et de deux minutes chez la personne âgée fragile.

Structure: Structure avant-après où la mesure des paramètres est effectuée à l'admission et au congé d'une unité de réadaptation gériatrique.

Participants: Au nombre de 52, dont 35 femmes et 17 hommes âgés en moyenne de 80 ± 8ans.

Résultats: Seule une des huit premières personnes a pu terminer une application du test de marche de six minutes à l'admission. Par contre, le test de marche de deux minutes est applicable dans cette population comme l'illustre le fait que 50 des 52 participants ont effectué le test à au moins une reprise à l'admission. La distance franchie augmente quand le test de marche de deux minutes est subi à trois reprises, à l'admission et au congé (p < 0,0001).

Conclusion: Le test de marche de deux minutes est une mesure réaliste de la capacité fonctionnelle de la personne âgée en réadaptation gériatrique, et il est mieux toléré que le test de marche de six minutes. Il conviendrait de tenir compte de la possibilité d'un effet d'entraînement et de la nécessité de plusieurs mesures pour améliorer l'estimation quant au test de marche de deux minutes.

Keywords

aginggeriatricswalk testexercisefunctionwalkingambulationvieillissementgériatrietest de marcheexerciceétat fonctionnelmarcher, déambuler
Type
Research Note/Note de recherche
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 26 , Issue 2 , Summer/Été 2007 , pp. 159 - 162
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2007

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Footnotes

*

Supported by grants from the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and Collaborative Research Program, Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care. Drs. D. Brooks and A. Davis held New Investigator Awards from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Dr. G. Naglie is supported by the Mary Trimmer Chair in Geriatric Medicine Research, University of Toronto.

We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with data collection and subject recruitment: Kathy Scott, Sara Sharp, Carol Fancott, Adrianna Ventutinni, Theresa Yeung, Jan Goldstein, staff on the Inpatient Geriatric Rehabilitation Unit. Also, we extend our appreciation to all the subjects who participated in this study.

References

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