CHECK YOUR HEALTH STATUS WITH A SIMPLE 6 MINUTE WALK TEST

CHECK YOUR HEALTH STATUS WITH A SIMPLE 6 MINUTE WALK TEST

Ever since 2020 the emergence of corona has made the world go round with n number of people getting infected by the deadly virus on a daily basis. In India, around four lakh cases are reported every day leading to a huge load on the medical system.  

The question arises what we shall do to avoid from getting infected by the virus the first and foremost is to stay indoors until absolutely necessary. Eat healthy and exercise to keep your immunity high and going

The entire world is battling the deadly corona virus, here is a six minute health test that can help you take control of the situation. 

The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is an exercise test that measures functional status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and provides information on oxygen desaturation.

You should have an oximeter for this test, start by wearing it in your index finger or middle finger. Start walking and keep your pace constant for six minutes. Observe the oxygen levels after six minutes if there is no dip or slight 1-2% dip the individual is considered healthy.

But if the person suffers from breathlessness or the oxygen saturation dips below 93% one should seek medical help. Do keep in mind this test is not advised for people suffering from asthma or people over the age of 60. 

But do keep in mind this is not a full proof method to interrogate the condition you may still need a doctor if you are facing any difficulty while performing your day-to-day tasks.

The individual who is suspected for being infected should isolate themselves from others and repeat this 6-minute test 2-3 times in a day to keep a tap on the oxygen levels. 

Once diagnosed people undergoing COVID care at home must check their oxygen levels regularly as it has been observed that people with even low oxygen levels sometimes don’t experience any discomfort- due to the condition termed as happy hypoxia. 

Until the situation gets normal – Stay Home, Stay Safe! 

Reference:

Waatevik, M. (2016, July 1). Oxygen desaturation in 6-min walk test is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in COPD. European Respiratory Society. https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/48/1/82


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