ABSTRACT
Field exercise tests are simple performance measures of endurance or maximal capacity, which may be performed at remote sites without reliance upon lab facilities. The primary measurements made during field exercise tests are the distance walked, arterial oxygen saturation, and the endurance time. The most commonly performed field exercise test is the 6MWT or 6-minute walk distance test. The test is performed between two cones over a course which should be as long as possible, preferably about 30 m. The incremental shuttle walk test is performed between two cones 9 m apart to the accompaniment of a series of bleeps, which are sounded at progressively shorter intervals. The endurance shuttle walk test appears exactly the same as the ISWT, except that the pace of the timing bleeps remains constant throughout the test. All walking tests provide strong prognostic and survival stratification for patients with chronic respiratory disease.
