EFFECTS OF FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE (SIX MINUTE WALK TEST6MWT) ON OXYGEN SATURATION

ABSTRACT

The six-minute walk test is an easy and affordable method used to measure functional capacity. It uses the distance walked in six minutes, or the six-minute walk distance (6MWD), at their normal pace on a hard surface, like a 30-meter hallway. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of functional exercise capacity on oxygen saturation and Perceived exertion in normal weight young male adults in the University of Benin. Measured parameters included body mass index (BMI), oxygen saturation (SpO2), perceived exertion (Borg scale), and distance covered (m) during the 6-minute walk test. The design required the subjects to walk back and forth on a 30-meter hallway at their normal pace for six minutes. Measurements were taken of the subject's baseline oxygen saturation and perceived exertion before and after the six-minute walk test. The total number of meters walked was calculated by multiplying the counted and recorded number of laps traveled by 60 meters. The statistical analysis was performed with Graph Pad Prism Version 8.1. The standard error of mean (SEM) was used in tables and graphs to display the results. The dependent and independent variable means were compared using the student t-test. P<0.05 was accepted as significant. Results revealed no statistical significant difference for oxygen saturation (SpO2) but a statistical significant increase for Borg scale value among the test groups. There was also no significant negative correlation between the distance covered and oxygen saturation (SpO2) and distance covered (m) with the perceived exertion (Borg scale value). This led to the conclusion that, in normal weight young male adults, functional exercise capacity (the six-minute walk test) had an effect on perceived exertion (Borg scale value) but no effect on oxygen saturation (SpO2). The six-minute test may therefore be used as a less expensive cardiopulmonary tool for assessing the rate of perceived exertion in clinical settings. Also no effect or correlation was seen when distance covered (m) was compared with oxygen saturation and perceived exertion (Borg scale value) after the six minute test among normal weight young male adults.