ABSTRACT
The Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT) was developed in 1963 by Balke to evaluate functional capacity. The test was developed in frail elderly patients 60-90 years of age referred to a geriatric hospital, and it targets community dwelling frail elders. However, the test has been used in a variety of chronic diseases, in adult and pediatric populations as well as in healthy adults and healthy pediatric population. It is a common outcome measurement tool used in physical therapy to determine ones basic exercise endurance and functional fitness. It is simple to perform, and it can help the physical therapist evaluate improvement or decline in one’s overall functional status during his/her rehabilitation program. It is a self paced sub maximal exercise test used to assess functional exercise capacity in patients with chronic diseases. The test has been used as an estimate of physical fitness in severe cardiopulmonary diseases, cystic fibrosis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, etc in pediatric population. Knowledge about its measurement properties is needed to determine whether it is an appropriate test to use in paediatric population. The purpose of this study will be to systematically review all published clinimetric studies on the 6MWT in various pediatric conditions.