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Incremental Shuttle Walk Test

What is it?

The incremental shuttle walk test is designed to measure how your heart and lungs respond to an increasing walking pace.

What is involved?

Before the test you will be fitted with a monitor on your wrist and a probe which will go on your finger.

This monitor will measure your heart rate and blood oxygen level while you are walking.

The walk test is paced by a set recording, similar to a beep test. You will walk between two cones which are 10 metres apart.

The aim is to walk for as long as you can within the beeps while the pace gets quicker every minute.

The test will be stopped if you are too breathless to carry on or if you are unable to keep pace with the beeps.

What happens after the test?

After the test your consultant will receive a report detailing the results of your walk test.