Inertial-based Six-Minute Walking Test Assessment in Post-Covid Patients: Preliminary Results

The 6MWT is sub-maximal test used by clinicians to assess functional exercise capacity in patients with various conditions. Its main outcome is the distance covered by the patient over the test duration, which is often used either to measure patient's functional status and for pre/post-treatment comparisons. The instrumented version of the 6MWT (i.e. i6MWT), based on the application of wearable-inertial devices, allows for the obtainment of other meaningful parameters, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of gait. The aim of this study was to apply the i6MWT to assess the effects of a two-stage rehabilitation treatment for patients reporting disabling motor and respiratory symptoms after Covid-19 infection. Thirteen post-Covid patients were assessed via the i6MWT in three sessions (T0, hospital admittance; T1, discharge time; T2, after tele-rehabilitation). So far, the data retrieved from the 7 patients who completed the full rehabilitative path were considered, showing an increasing trend for all the assessed gait parameters between the considered time points. The preliminary results thus suggest that the proposed rehabilitative intervention could have positive effects on the recovery of functional exercise capacity in post-Covid patients.