Efekt uczenia się testu marszowego 6-minutowego u zdrowych młodych osób

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Efekt uczenia się testu marszowego 6-minutowego u zdrowych młodych osób

Journal Title: Rehabilitacja Medyczna - Year 2015, Vol 19, Issue 1

Abstract

Introduction: The six-minute walk test is a standardised and frequently used measure of tolerance for exercise. It is usually applied to patients with disorders of the respiratory and circulatory systems. Researchers differ in their opinion about whether what is referred to as the learning effect exists, and consequently, whether a preliminary test should be conducted prior to the actual test. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether a learning effect occurs in the six-minute walk test, by conducting the test twice with healthy young persons for whom the test should not constitute an excessive strain. The obtained results will be used for further research aimed at assessing the learning effect in patients with interstitial lung diseases. Material and Methods: The study participants comprised 30 students of physiotherapy at the University of Physical Education in Krakow (22 women and 8 men) aged between 20 to 26 years (with a mean age of 23.2 ± 1.56 years). The participants underwent two trials of the six-minute walk test at an interval of at least 15 minutes (i.e., after the following parameters had returned to their resting values: exhaustion, shortness of breath, heart rate, and blood pressure). Both trials of the test were conducted in the same conditions. None of the study participants were informed about the aim of the experiment. Results: The mean of the six-minute walk distance among all study participants was 748.13 ± 56.81 m in the first trial and 773.88 ± 70.32 m in the second trial. Thus, a statistically significant difference was found in the walk distance of the first and the second trial. Most participants (90%) improved their distance in the second trial. a statistical analysis showed that the difference in the obtained distance between Trial 1 and Trial 2 was statistically significant among all participants and for both men and women (p&amp;lt;0.05), even though as much as 80% of the participants declared after the first trial that they would be unable to walk faster. The mean differences between Trials 1 and 2 for the entire sample amounted to 25.75 ± 34.85 m. Conclusions: The results indicate the existence of the learning effect in the six-minute walk test among young healthy persons. Consequently, a preliminary test should be conducted with the study participants prior to the main test, as a routine procedure to prevent an incorrect interpretation of the results. The analysis should be based on the results obtained in the second test. This will guarantee the elimination of the learning effect and the correct interpretation of the potential improvement in the achieved distance as an effect of physical training or a therapeutic procedure. Further research should involve testing for the existence of the learning effect in persons with a decreased tolerance for exercise and/or with different chronic disorders of the respiratory system.

Authors and Affiliations

Tomasz Włoch, Aleksandra Mrozińska, Rafał Piliński, Agnieszka Śliwka, Roman Nowobilski

Keywords

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EP ID EP77694
DOI -
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