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6-Minute Walk Test

Meaning

The 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a standardized, sub-maximal exercise capacity assessment used clinically to evaluate the integrated response of the body’s major systems, including the pulmonary, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems, to physical exertion. It quantifies the distance an individual can walk quickly on a flat, hard surface over a period of six minutes. This simple, reproducible measure offers valuable prognostic data regarding functional status and overall physical endurance, particularly relevant in the context of age-related physiological decline and hormonal shifts that impact muscle mass and cardiac function.