Evaluation of functional capacity of elderly through the test of six-minute walk

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the functional capacity of older people engaged in physical activity through the test of six-minute walk test (6MWT). Method: An exploratory study with a quantitative approach, with 40 elderly participants of the Center for Health Care of the Elderly (CASI) of Piripiri (PI). We calculated the distance specified by demographics and the 6MWT was applied to identify the actual distance traveled. Results: The findings showed that the majority of participants were female, with 66 to 70 years old, married, a minimum wage income, low education. Individuals were considered hypertensive and diabetic patients traveled less value than individuals without the disease. There was no statistically significant difference between the average distance and the expected average distance. Conclusion: Older people who practice physical activity showed a level of functional capacity as demonstrated by satisfactory values of the distances traveled in the walk test six minutes.