The six-minute walk test is an excellent predictor of functional ambulation after total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

Though TKA recipients are able to walk for 30 minutes one year post-surgery, their performance falls significantly short of age-matched norms. The 30 MW test is strongly predicted by 6 MW test performance, thus providing strong construct validity for the use of the 6 MW test in the TKA population. Neither a short nor long walk test is a strong predictor of patient-reported function after TKA.