Frailty can be determined using a six-minute walking test (6MWT), and the metric is a general standard used to evaluate the functional mobility and exercise capacity of a patient. Higher scores indicate “healthier cardiac, respiratory, circulatory, and neuromuscular function,” according to Apple.

Conducted by Stanford University researchers and funded by Apple, the study provided 110 Veterans Affairs patients with cardiovascular disease with an iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 3. Patients conducted regular at-home six-minute walking tests, which were then compared to their standard in-clinic 6MWT performance.

OK the study was funded by Apple which is why it is also limited to researching only Apple devices, so it does not mean that other devices may not be able to do this, but whether they have the included the metrics or not is the issue. Looks like Apple has now included these metrics in their watchOS 7. Let’s hope all wearables add more and more such metrics.

See https://www.macrumors.com/2021/03/27/apple-watch-assess-frailty-study/

#technology #health #frailty #6MWT #apple