Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
Traditional Trail Making Test Modified into Brand-new Assessment Tools: Digital and Walking Trail Making Test
Published on: November 23, 2019
Test-retest reliability and developmental evolution of the 6-min walk test in Caucasian boys aged 5-12 years
Nathalie Goemans1, Katrijn Klingels, Marleen van den Hauwe
1Child Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. nathalie.goemans@uzleuven.be
Insights
The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is reliable for assessing functional capacity in healthy boys aged 5-12 years. This test
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Physical Therapy
- Neuromuscular Disorders Research
- Functional Capacity Assessment
Background:
- The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a key outcome measure in childhood neuromuscular disorder studies.
- Evaluating the 6MWT's reliability and normative data in children is crucial for accurate assessments.
- Previous data on 6MWT reliability and norms in healthy pediatric populations is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the test-retest reliability of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) in healthy boys.
- To establish normative data for the 6MWT in boys aged 5-12 years.
- To assess the reliability of shorter versions of the 6MWT.
Main Methods:
- Ninety healthy boys aged 5-12 years participated.
- Participants completed two 6MWT assessments with a 12-day interval.
- Data analyzed for test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).
Main Results:
- The 6MWT distance significantly increased with age.
- Very high test-retest reliability was observed (ICC > 0.95) for the total group.
- Reliability was moderately high from 3 minutes onwards, supporting shorter test versions.
Conclusions:
- The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) demonstrates high reliability for assessing functional capacity in young boys.
- Normative data and reliability support the 6MWT's use in pediatric research and clinical practice.
- Shorter 6MWT protocols are also reliable for this age group.
Abstract:
The 6-min walk test (6MWT) assesses functional capacity and has been used as outcome measure in therapeutic studies in childhood neuromuscular disorders. The objectives were to evaluate test-retest reliability of the 6MWT and to generate normative data for healthy boys aged 5-12 years. Ninety boys (mean age 8 years 10 months) were recruited over four age subcategories (5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 years). Mean 6MWT distance and velocity (±standard deviation) for the total group were 555.5±93 m and 92.6±16.6 m/min. The 6MWT distance increased significantly with age. Test-retest reliability (mean interval 12 days) was very high for the total group (ICC>0.95) and for all age subcategories (ICC>0.80) a moderately high reliability (ICC>0.75) was found from 3 min onwards for each age subcategory. There was a mean difference of 5.2 m between test and retest without systematic bias. The standard error of measurement and smallest detectable difference were 20.7 and 57.4 m, respectively. These findings demonstrate the reliability of the 6MWT in young children, underscore its evolution with age, and indicate that a shorter version of the test is also reliable.
