Reproducibility of the incremental shuttle walk test for women with morbid obesity

AbstractObjective: The incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) is a valuable tool for the assessment of functional capacity. However, few studies have used the ISWT in individuals with obesity or have determined its reproducibility in this population. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reproducibility of the ISWT in women with morbid obesity. Methods: Twenty-three women with a body mass index >40 kg/m2 (mean age: 39.1 ± 7.7) performed the ISWT twice on the same day. Results: The mean distance traveled was 313.3 ± 100.2 m on the first test and 322.5 ± 98.9 on the second test, with no significant difference between tests. The intraclass correlation coefficient (0.91) indicated excellent reproducibility. Reliability determined through Bland–Altman analysis revealed a small mean difference between tests (−9.2 m). Conclusion: The practice of repeating the ISWT appears to be unnecessary for women with morbid obesity, as demonstrated by the excellent reproducibility of the test.