A smartphone approach for the 2 and 6-minute walk test

The 2 and 6-minute walk tests (2-6MWT) are used by rehabilitation professionals as a measure of exercise capacity. Our research has produced a new 2-6MWT BlackBerry smartphone application (app) that can be used to run the 2-6MWT and also provide new information about how the person moves during the test. The smartphone is worn on a belt at the lower back to record phone sensor data while walking. This data is used to identify foot strikes, calculate the total distance walked and step timing, and analyze pelvis accelerations. Information on symmetry, walking changes over time, and poor walking patterns is not available from a typical 2-6MWT and could help with clinical decision-making. The 2-6MWT app was evaluated in a pilot test using data from five able-bodied participants. Foot strike time was within 0.07 seconds when compared to gold standard video recordings. The total distance calculated by the app was within 1m of the measured distance.