6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) Timer & Predicted Distance Calculator

Your answers stay on your device. This tool runs only in your web browser. Nothing you enter is sent to us, saved or shared. Close the page and it’s gone.

The 6MWT measures how far someone walks in 6 minutes at their own pace on a flat, marked course. It is one of the most common tests of walking endurance. This page is built for physical therapists and trained staff, following the American Thoracic Society guideline. It takes about 15 minutes, including 10 minutes of seated rest before the test.

⚠️ Check before you start

The ATS guideline lists unstable angina or a heart attack in the past month as reasons not to test, and a resting heart rate over 120, or blood pressure over 180/100, as reasons to be cautious. Stop the test for chest pain, severe shortness of breath, leg cramps, staggering, heavy sweating, or a pale or ashen look. Have a chair and emergency plan ready.

How to give the test

Use a flat, straight course, ideally 30 meters (100 feet), with a cone at each turnaround. Write the lap length below.
Have the person sit and rest for at least 10 minutes. Record resting heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen saturation if your setting uses them.
Explain: the goal is to walk as far as possible in 6 minutes, back and forth around the cones, without jogging or running. They may slow down, stop and rest, then continue as soon as they can.
Start the timer when they begin walking. Tap +1 Lap each time they complete a lap. Don’t walk with them, and use only the standard prompts the timer shows each minute.
At 6 minutes, have them stop where they are and measure the extra distance past the last full lap.
Record post-test heart rate, oxygen saturation, and dyspnea and fatigue ratings on your clinic’s scale.

Lap length

Units

Assistive device

6-minute timer

6:00

Press Start when they begin walking.

Laps: 0

Distance and patient details

Full laps

Extra distance after last lap

Number of rests

For predicted distance (optional): Enright equations are for adults 40 to 80.

Age

Sex

Height (inches)

Weight (lb)

Prior 6MWT distance (optional, same units)

This is a measurement, not a diagnosis. The 6MWT shows how far someone can walk in 6 minutes. It can’t tell you why. Results should be read by a licensed health care provider alongside the person’s history, vital signs and examination.

Reading the result

Predicted distance uses the Enright and Sherrill (1998) equations for healthy adults 40 to 80 years old (height in cm, weight in kg, age in years):

Men: 6MWD = (7.57 × height) − (5.02 × age) − (1.76 × weight) − 309 m
Women: 6MWD = (2.11 × height) − (2.29 × weight) − (5.78 × age) + 667 m

These equations explain only about 40% of the variation between healthy people, so treat percent predicted as a guide, not a cutoff. Change over time: about 50 m is often used as meaningful in older adults (Perera et al., 2006) and 54 m in COPD (Redelmeier et al., 1997). In COPD, a distance under 200 m has been linked to higher risk of hospitalization and death.

Mean 6-minute walk distance, community-dwelling older adults (Steffen et al., 2002)
Age	Men	Women
60–69	572 m (1877 ft)	538 m (1765 ft)
70–79	527 m (1729 ft)	471 m (1545 ft)
80–89	417 m (1368 ft)	392 m (1286 ft)

Sources. ATS Committee on Proficiency Standards for Clinical Pulmonary Function Laboratories. ATS Statement: Guidelines for the Six-Minute Walk Test. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2002;166:111-117. Enright PL, Sherrill DL. Reference equations for the six-minute walk in healthy adults. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998;158:1384-1387. Steffen TM, et al. Phys Ther. 2002;82(2):128-137. Perera S, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006;54(5):743-749. Redelmeier DA, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1997;155:1278. Norms and change values as listed by the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Rehabilitation Measures Database: 6 Minute Walk Test. Dyspnea and fatigue scales such as the Borg scales are licensed separately and are not reproduced here. Holsman Physical Therapy is not affiliated with these organizations, and they do not endorse this website.

Common Questions

What is the 6-Minute Walk Test?

The 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) measures how far a person can walk in 6 minutes on a flat, marked course at their own pace. It reflects walking endurance and functional exercise capacity and is used in heart and lung conditions, older adults, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, MS and joint replacement.

How long should the walking course be?

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) guideline recommends a 30-meter (100-foot) hallway with turnaround cones and marks every 3 meters. Shorter courses give shorter distances, so use the same course every time.

What is a normal 6-minute walk distance?

It depends on age, sex, height and weight. This tool uses the Enright and Sherrill (1998) reference equations for healthy adults 40 to 80 years old and shows age norms for older adults from Steffen et al. (2002).

What change is meaningful?

A change of about 50 meters is often used as meaningful in older adults (Perera et al., 2006), and about 54 meters in COPD (Redelmeier et al., 1997). Smaller values have been reported in some groups, so use a value from your patient population when possible.

Can the person stop and rest?

Yes. They may slow down, stop and rest, but the timer keeps running. Record the number and length of rests.

Is my information saved?

No. Everything runs in your web browser. Nothing is sent to us or stored.

6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT)