6-Minute Walk Test
Page updated: Evidence reviewed: What this means
The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) measures aerobic endurance by recording the total distance walked in 6 minutes on a measured course. It is part of the Senior Fitness Test battery (Rikli & Jones 1999, n=7,183 US community-dwelling adults aged 60-94). Percentile curves (P5-P95) are from the Senior Fitness Test Manual, 2nd edition (2013), modelled from the same sample. The SFT version uses a 50-yard indoor course; participants walk as far as possible in 6 minutes.
How to Perform This Test (Protocol)
- Equipment
-
- Measured 50-yard (45.7 m) course marked in 5-yard segments
- Cones, tape, or chalk to mark the course
- Stopwatch
- Lap counter or scorecard
- Chairs placed beside the course for rest and safety
- Protocol Steps
-
- Mark the inside perimeter of a level, non-slip 50-yard course and show each 5-yard segment.
- Give a practice test before the actual test day so the participant understands pacing and scoring.
- On 'Go', walk as fast as possible without running. The participant may stop and rest, then resume; the clock continues.
- Record each completed lap and give standard time and encouragement calls during the test.
- At 6 minutes call 'Stop' and record the nearest 5-yard marker reached.
- Scoring
Total distance walked in 6 minutes, recorded to the nearest 5 yards. Multiply completed laps by 50 yards and add the marked partial-lap distance.
- Notes
Stop the test for dizziness, pain, nausea, or undue fatigue. Afterward, walk slowly for about 1 minute to cool down. This 50-yard SFT course is not interchangeable with clinical 6MWT protocols that use other corridor lengths.
Data source: Rikli & Jones (SFT) About this study
Reference population: Community-dwelling older adults aged 60-94 from 267 sites across 21 US states
6-Minute Walk Test Norms Chart by Age and Sex (yards)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 60-64 | Male | 523 | 612 | 674 | 736 | 825 |
| Female | 465 | 547 | 603 | 659 | 741 | |
| 65-69 | Male | 462 | 562 | 631 | 700 | 800 |
| Female | 402 | 500 | 568 | 636 | 734 | |
| 70-74 | Male | 445 | 544 | 612 | 680 | 779 |
| Female | 387 | 482 | 548 | 614 | 709 | |
| 75-79 | Male | 348 | 471 | 555 | 639 | 762 |
| Female | 322 | 433 | 509 | 585 | 696 | |
| 80-84 | Male | 327 | 444 | 524 | 604 | 721 |
| Female | 270 | 384 | 462 | 540 | 654 | |
| 85-89 | Male | 244 | 382 | 477 | 572 | 710 |
| Female | 214 | 340 | 426 | 512 | 638 | |
| 90-94 | Male | 160 | 304 | 403 | 502 | 646 |
| Female | 150 | 273 | 357 | 441 | 564 | |
What to expect by age group
Among adults aged 60 to 64, the middle 50% walk 612 to 736 yards for men and 547 to 659 yards for women. Median distance falls about 40% from ages 60-64 to 90-94 in both sexes; men walk about 70 yards farther than women on average across the brackets. Scores below 612 yards (men) or 547 yards (women) are typically below average for ages 60-64; scores above 736 yards (men) or 659 yards (women) are above average.
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 60-64 | 612 to 736 | 547 to 659 |
| 65-69 | 562 to 700 | 500 to 636 |
| 70-74 | 544 to 680 | 482 to 614 |
| 75-79 | 471 to 639 | 433 to 585 |
| 80-84 | 444 to 604 | 384 to 540 |
| 85-89 | 382 to 572 | 340 to 512 |
| 90-94 | 304 to 502 | 273 to 441 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the 6-minute walk test measure?
Aerobic endurance, meaning the ability to sustain moderate-intensity walking over 6 minutes. It reflects the functional capacity needed for daily tasks like shopping, walking around the neighbourhood, and climbing stairs.
What is the protocol for the 6-minute walk test?
The full step-by-step protocol is detailed in the 'How to Perform This Test (Protocol)' section above.
How does this relate to the 2-minute step test?
Both are Senior Fitness Test measures of aerobic endurance. The 2-minute step test is the alternative when a 50-yard walking course is not available. It uses a different movement and scoring scale, so its values are not interchangeable with 6-minute walk distances.
Why does this metric only cover ages 60-94?
The Senior Fitness Test was designed for older adults. The normative data (Rikli & Jones, n=7,183) was collected from community-dwelling adults aged 60-94.
Where do the percentile values come from?
The percentile curves come from the Senior Fitness Test Manual (Rikli & Jones 2013, 2nd ed., ISBN 978-1-4504-1118-9), which models P5 through P95 from the original sample of 7,183 community-dwelling US adults aged 60-94 (Rikli & Jones 1999, DOI). All five percentiles we display (P5, P25, P50, P75, P95) come directly from the source, so no approximation is needed.
Related Metrics
Senior Fitness Test Battery
This metric is part of the Senior Fitness Test, a validated 7-test battery for adults aged 60-94.