6-Minute Walk Test Calculator (Predicted Distance, Enright)
Compare your 6-minute walk test distance with the predicted normal value for your age, sex, height and weight (Enright & Sherrill equations), with percent of predicted and the lower limit of normal.
How it works
Men: predicted 6MWD (m) = 7.57 × height (cm) − 5.02 × age − 1.76 × weight (kg) − 309; lower limit = predicted − 153 m · Women: 6MWD = 2.11 × height − 2.29 × weight − 5.78 × age + 667; lower limit = predicted − 139 m
The six-minute walk test (American Thoracic Society, 2002) measures how far you can walk briskly on a flat 30 m corridor in six minutes. It is used to assess functional capacity in heart and lung disease, before surgery and in rehabilitation. Enright and Sherrill (1998) derived reference equations from 290 healthy adults aged 40–80; a distance below the lower limit of normal (roughly the 5th percentile) suggests reduced exercise capacity. A change of about 30 m is generally considered clinically meaningful.
Worked example
A 60-year-old man, 170 cm and 75 kg, who walks 450 m: predicted = 7.57 × 170 − 5.02 × 60 − 1.76 × 75 − 309 = 545 m, so he reached 450 ÷ 545 = 83% of predicted, above the lower limit of normal of 392 m.
Sources: Enright PL, Sherrill DL. Reference equations for the six-minute walk in healthy adults. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1998 · ATS statement: guidelines for the six-minute walk test (2002)
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal 6-minute walk test distance?
Healthy adults typically walk 400–700 m. Your predicted value depends on age, sex, height and weight; walking at least 80% of predicted, or above the lower limit of normal, is generally considered normal.
How is the 6-minute walk test done?
Walk back and forth along a flat 30 m (100 ft) corridor as far as you can in six minutes, at your own pace, without running. You may slow down or stop to rest; the clock keeps running. Standard encouragement phrases are given each minute.
What change in 6-minute walk distance is meaningful?
For most chronic lung and heart conditions, an improvement or decline of about 25–33 m is considered clinically important.
Who should not do a 6-minute walk test?
People with unstable angina or a recent heart attack should not do it, and it should be supervised in anyone with significant heart or lung disease. Follow your clinician's instructions.
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This calculator gives an estimate for general fitness and education only. It is not a diagnosis — results from field tests and prediction equations can differ from laboratory measurements, so talk to a doctor or qualified exercise professional before acting on them.