The Effects of Resting Physical Factors on Distance and Intensity of Six-Minute Walk Test in Healthy Female Subjects

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the correlations among the resting physical factors related to a six-minute walk test (6MWT) and to determine the effects of the resting physical factors on the distance and intensity related to the 6MWT in healthy female subjects. METHODS: A total of 43 healthy female subjects (22.84±3.90 yrs) participated in this study. They performed the 6MWT, and the physical factors related to the 6MWT were assessed. SPSS 20.0 was used to analyze the data, and the mean and standard deviation were calculated, and the collected data were analyzed by the Pearson's correlation coefficient (among physical factors related to 6MWT) and independent t-test (between six-minute walk distance [6MWD] groups and six-minute walk intensity [6MWI] groups). RESULTS: The 6MWD had a significant negative correlation with the resting HR (beat/min) in healthy female subjects (r= −0.49, p < 0.05). The 6MWI had a significant negative correlation with the resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r= −0.45, p < 0.01). A comparison of the 6MWD revealed the long distance group (LDG, 700-799 m) to be significantly higher than the middle distance group (MDG, 600-699 m) in the 6MWI (%), %predicted distance (%), predicted VO2max (mL/kg/min), resting HR (beat/min), and resting SBP (mmHg)(p < 0.05). In the comparison of 6MWI, the moderate intensity group (MIG, 64-75%HRmax) was significantly lower than the low intensity group (LIG, 50-63%HRmax) in the resting SBP (mmHg) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the resting physical factors are related to the 6MWD and 6MWI of the 6MWT in healthy females. In particular, SBP is associated with not only the 6MWD but also the 6MWI in 6MWT.