Six-minute walk test
A simple test that measures how far you can walk on a flat surface in six minutes, used to assess exercise capacity in heart and lung conditions and to track changes over time.
✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review
In short
- The six-minute walk test measures how far you can walk on the flat in six minutes, as a practical measure of exercise capacity.
- It does not diagnose a specific disease — it gives a distance that is most useful when compared over time or after treatment.
- It is gentle and self-paced: you can slow down or rest, and your oxygen levels and heart rate are usually monitored.
- Results depend on effort, encouragement and practice, so a single test is interpreted carefully and is sometimes repeated.
A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.
At a glance
A general guide. Your specialist will give you advice for your situation.
Simple, low-cost and close to everyday walking, so it reflects real-world exercise capacity.
People with certain unstable heart conditions, such as unstable angina or a recent heart attack, or uncontrolled symptoms.
You walk at your own pace for six minutes, slowing or resting if needed. Breathlessness and tiredness are expected.
Rest and monitoring until your heart rate, oxygen levels and breathing settle.
You walk at your own pace for six minutes, slowing or resting if needed. Breathlessness and tiredness are expected.
You stop, sit and recover while your heart rate, oxygen levels and breathing are rechecked.
You can usually resume normal activities, though you may feel a little tired.
Your clinician interprets the distance and other readings, often comparing them with previous tests, and discusses...
What is a six-minute walk test?
The six-minute walk test measures how far you can walk, at your own pace, along a flat course in six minutes. It is a simple, practical way to assess your exercise capacity — how well your heart, lungs, circulation and muscles work together during everyday-type effort.
Your oxygen levels and heart rate are usually checked before, during and after the walk, and you may be asked to rate your breathlessness. You can slow down, stop and rest if you need to, and the clock keeps running.
It is widely used in conditions such as COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and heart failure, before lung surgery or transplant assessment, and to measure progress in pulmonary rehabilitation. It does not diagnose a particular disease; instead it gives a number — the distance walked — that can be compared over time or after treatment, and it can show whether your oxygen levels drop with exertion.
Types, options & approaches
There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.
Options at a glance
These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.
Standard six-minute walk test
Walking back and forth along a flat, marked course (often about 30 metres long) for six minutes, with the distance recorded.
Test with oxygen monitoring
Oxygen levels and heart rate are tracked throughout to see whether oxygen drops with exertion, which is important in many lung conditions.
Test on oxygen therapy
Done while using your prescribed oxygen, to check how far you can walk with support and whether your oxygen settings are right.
Repeat or rehabilitation test
Repeated over time, for example before and after pulmonary rehabilitation or treatment, to measure change in your walking distance.
Preparing for your test
- Wear comfortable clothing and supportive walking shoes.
- Take your usual medicines unless told otherwise, and bring any reliever inhaler you use.
- If you use oxygen or a walking aid such as a stick or frame, bring it and tell the team.
- Avoid vigorous exercise for at least a couple of hours before the test.
- Do not have a heavy meal just before the test, but you do not usually need to fast.
- Tell the team about chest pain, palpitations, recent illness, or joint or balance problems.
- Allow time to sit and rest beforehand so you start the walk rested.
What happens
The test is usually done indoors along a quiet, flat corridor with the distance marked out, supervised by a physiologist, nurse or physiotherapist. Before you start, you rest for a few minutes while your heart rate and oxygen levels are checked, and you may be asked to rate how breathless you feel.
You are then asked to walk as far as you can in six minutes, covering as much distance as possible at your own pace. You can slow down or stop to rest if you need to, but the clock keeps running, and you set off again when you are able. The team gives standard words of encouragement at set times but does not walk with you in a way that sets your pace. Your oxygen levels and heart rate may be monitored as you go.
When six minutes are up, you stop and the total distance walked is recorded, along with your oxygen levels, heart rate and breathlessness. You then rest and recover. The walk itself is short, but allow around half an hour for the whole appointment.
Is this test right for me?
A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.
May not be suitable if…
- People with certain unstable heart conditions, such as unstable angina or a recent heart attack, or uncontrolled symptoms.
- Those who cannot walk safely because of severe mobility, joint or balance problems.
- Anyone too unwell on the day to exert themselves safely.
- It is the wrong test when a detailed measure of why exercise is limited is needed — a cardiopulmonary exercise test gives more information.
Delay or rearrange if…
- You have a recent chest infection, fever or other acute illness.
- You have new or unstable chest pain, palpitations or blackouts that need assessment first.
- Your heart condition is currently unstable or your blood pressure is very high.
- You are unable to walk on the day because of injury or acute symptoms.
Alternatives to discuss
- A cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) for a more detailed assessment of exercise limitation.
- Other field walking tests, such as a shuttle walk test.
- Breathing tests such as spirometry and lung volumes to assess the lungs.
- Heart tests such as an ECG or echocardiogram.
- Clinical assessment alone where walking testing is not feasible.
Before you decide
Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.
What matters most to me?
Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.
What are all my options?
Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.
What would make me pause?
Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.
What happens if I do nothing today?
For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.
Benefits
- Simple, low-cost and close to everyday walking, so it reflects real-world exercise capacity.
- Shows whether your oxygen levels drop with exertion, which can affect treatment.
- Gives a number that can be tracked over time or after treatment or rehabilitation.
- Helps assess heart and lung conditions and informs decisions such as oxygen therapy or surgery.
- Self-paced and gentle, with the ability to rest, so it suits a wide range of people.
- Closely supervised, so it can be stopped if you become unwell.
Risks & complications
- Breathlessness, tiredness and aching legs during or after the walk.
- A faster heartbeat and feeling warm with the effort.
- Needing to slow down or stop to rest before the six minutes are up.
- A drop in oxygen levels during the walk, particularly in lung or heart conditions.
- Feeling dizzy, light-headed or unsteady, especially on stopping.
- A result that is hard to interpret because effort or practice affected the distance.
- Chest pain, marked palpitations or fainting during or after the walk.
- A fall or trip while walking.
- Very rarely, a serious heart or breathing event needing emergency treatment.
The six-minute walk test is low-risk and self-paced, but it is still exertion, so oxygen levels and heart rate are usually monitored and the test is stopped if you have chest pain, severe breathlessness, a marked oxygen drop, dizziness or other concerns. It is not done if you have certain unstable heart conditions. The distance depends on effort, encouragement and practice, so a single result is read with care and is sometimes repeated. Tell the team about any chest pain, palpitations or recent illness beforehand.
Published figures to discuss
The six-minute walk test is a self-paced, submaximal test, so it is low-risk and most effects (breathlessness, tiredness, a temporary oxygen drop) are expected and settle with rest. Serious events are very uncommon, and the test is stopped at the first sign of trouble such as chest pain, a marked oxygen drop or dizziness. Robust, generalisable numerical complication rates specific to the six-minute walk test are limited, so qualitative wording is used rather than invented figures, and safe selection and monitoring are emphasised.
| Figure | Reported range | How to interpret it | Source / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical adverse event | Low with appropriate screening and supervision | The test can be stopped for chest pain, severe breathlessness, dizziness, leg cramps, staggering or oxygen desaturation. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Oxygen desaturation during the walk | Recognised and often clinically useful | A fall in saturation can guide oxygen assessment, ILD/COPD severity review or further investigation. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Unrepresentative distance | Recognised | Pain, pacing, encouragement, corridor length, footwear and learning effect can change the result. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| False reassurance | Recognised | A reasonable walking distance does not exclude exertional desaturation, pulmonary hypertension, cardiac disease or day-to-day symptom variation. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.
What happens afterwards
Most people recover within a few minutes of stopping, though you may feel tired or breathless for a short while. You rest and are monitored until your heart rate, oxygen levels and breathing settle, and you can usually go home and carry on as normal.
- Feeling breathless and tired for a short while after the walk.
- Aching legs and a faster heartbeat that settle with rest.
- Needing to have slowed down or rested during the six minutes.
- No change in symptoms — the test measures capacity, it does not treat anything.
Aftercare
- Sit and rest until your heart rate, oxygen levels and breathing have settled.
- Use your reliever inhaler or prescribed oxygen as advised if you feel breathless.
- Drink fluids and avoid further strenuous activity straight afterwards.
- Ask how far you walked and how this compares with what is expected or with previous tests.
- Ask whether your oxygen levels dropped and what that means.
- Mention any chest pain, dizziness or marked breathlessness you felt during the walk.
- Seek urgent help if chest pain, severe breathlessness or palpitations occur after you leave.
- Comfortable clothing and supportive walking shoes
- Your usual medicines and any reliever inhaler
- Your oxygen or walking aid, if you use one
- A note of chest pain, palpitations or recent illness
- Avoided vigorous exercise beforehand
- Any previous walk-test results, if you have them
- Questions about what the distance means for you
⚠ Get urgent help if…
- Chest pain, pressure or tightness during or after the walk — tell the team immediately or call 999.
- Severe breathlessness that does not settle with rest or your reliever inhaler — seek urgent help.
- Palpitations, a markedly irregular heartbeat, or feeling faint or collapsing — call 999.
- Lips or fingertips turning blue, or feeling drowsy or confused — call 999.
- Persistent dizziness, unsteadiness or feeling very unwell after the test.
- A large or lasting drop in your oxygen levels — the team will advise what this means and what to do.
Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your specialist gives you.
Results & realistic expectations
The main result is the distance you walked in six minutes (the six-minute walk distance), recorded in metres, along with your oxygen levels, heart rate and breathlessness. Your clinician interprets the distance against what would be expected for your age, sex, height and weight, and compares it with any previous tests.
A longer distance generally reflects better exercise capacity, and an improvement after treatment or rehabilitation is encouraging. A drop in oxygen levels during the walk can be important and may, for example, affect decisions about oxygen therapy. The test does not diagnose a specific disease, is affected by effort and practice, and is most useful as part of a wider assessment and when tracked over time.
The result reflects your exercise capacity around the time of the test, which can change with treatment, rehabilitation, illness or the progression of a condition. It is often repeated — for example before and after pulmonary rehabilitation, or periodically in long-term conditions — to track change, and your clinician will advise how often retesting is useful for you.
Related tests, treatments or support
The six-minute walk test is often combined with breathing tests (such as spirometry and lung volumes), oxygen-level checks, heart tests and sometimes a cardiopulmonary exercise test, to build a fuller picture of your heart and lungs. In rehabilitation it is commonly used alongside symptom and quality-of-life questionnaires.
Follow-up & long-term care
The distance and other readings are interpreted by your clinician, often by comparing them with expected values or previous results, and discussed with you on the day or at a follow-up. The findings may inform decisions about treatment, oxygen therapy, rehabilitation, fitness for surgery or transplant assessment, or further tests.
- The test is often repeated to monitor a long-term condition or measure progress in rehabilitation.
- Continue medicines and prescribed oxygen as advised.
- Bring previous results to reviews so changes in your walking distance can be compared.
Repeat, follow-on and what comes next
- Two walks are sometimes done because practice can improve the distance (a learning effect).
- A test may be repeated over time to track change after treatment or rehabilitation.
- The distance is interpreted alongside other tests rather than as a standalone diagnosis.
Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.
What good aftercare looks like
- Rest and monitoring until your heart rate, oxygen levels and breathing settle.
- Your distance and oxygen readings explained against expected values and previous tests.
- Clear advice on oxygen, inhalers and what to do if symptoms occur afterwards.
- A named contact route and escalation plan if you feel unwell after going home.
What affects the cost
Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:
- Whether the test is part of a wider respiratory, cardiac or pre-operative assessment.
- Who supervises the test and which clinician interprets it.
- Whether oxygen monitoring or a test on oxygen therapy is included.
- Whether a consultation and explanation of results are included.
- Whether other heart or lung tests are done at the same time.
- The clinic or hospital and its location.
- Whether the test, the monitoring and the interpretation are all included.
- Who will supervise the test and who will interpret and explain the result.
- Whether oxygen monitoring (or a test on oxygen) is included.
- Whether any other tests are bundled in or charged separately.
- What happens, and what it costs, if the test needs repeating (for example two walks).
- The cancellation and rescheduling policy, and what happens if you are unwell on the day.
On the NHS? The six-minute walk test is widely available on the NHS for heart and lung conditions and in rehabilitation when clinically indicated; private testing may be used for speed, convenience or as part of a wider assessment.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.
Consent traps and marketing red flags
These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.
Consent traps
- Treating the distance as a diagnosis rather than a measure of capacity.
- Not explaining that effort, encouragement and practice affect the result.
- Overlooking or not explaining a drop in oxygen levels during the walk.
- No clear plan for who will interpret the result and what it will be used for.
Marketing red flags
- Selling the walk test as a complete heart-and-lung 'health check' that catches every problem.
- Implying a single distance can diagnose or rule out disease on its own.
- Performing it without monitoring or appropriate supervision.
- Quoting a good distance as proof your heart and lungs are healthy.
Choosing a specialist safely
- Check the specialist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
- Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
- You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the specialist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
- Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
- You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.
Questions to ask your medical professional
Take this to your consultation. A good specialist will welcome every one of these.
- How far did I walk, and how does this compare with what is expected for me?
- Did my oxygen levels drop during the walk, and what does that mean?
- What will this result be used to decide?
- Should the test be repeated, for example after rehabilitation or treatment?
- How does this fit with my other heart and lung tests?
- Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
- Will you be the specialist who carries out my test, and who looks after me afterwards?
- What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
- What does a realistic result look like — and what can this test not achieve?
- What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
- Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
- What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?
Frequently asked questions
Is the six-minute walk test available on the NHS?
Do I have to walk fast or keep going the whole time?
Will my oxygen levels be checked?
What is a 'good' distance?
Why might the test be repeated?
Can I do the test if I use oxygen or a walking stick?
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How we made this page
Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →
Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.
Sources & standards: Six-Minute Walk Test: clinical role and technique — review (PMC) ERS — How to carry out a field walking test in chronic respiratory disease Utility of the six-minute walk test in pulmonary fibrosis (PMC) ARTP statement on cardiopulmonary exercise testing 2021 (PMC) British Thoracic Society — Clinical Statement on Pulmonary Rehabilitation (2023) ERS/ATS technical standard: field walking tests in chronic respiratory disease (Holland et al, 2014)
Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.
Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.
Related guides: Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) · Reversibility testing · FeNO test (exhaled nitric oxide) · Body plethysmography (lung volume test) · Bronchial and transbronchial biopsy