Does Turning Affect Shuttle Walking Test Performance in Cardiovascular Disease Patients? A Narrative Review

Abstract

Objective: To critically present and discuss the influences of turning on incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT) performance in clinically stable patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: We searched the literature in the most widely used health care electronic databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, Elsevier, and Google Scholar, published up to March 2021 with no restriction on start day, by using the terms incremental shuttle walking test, exercise test, functional exercise capacity, cardiovascular disease, biomechanics, and turning strategy. Papers that were not in English and were not peer-reviewed were excluded. Results: A total of 70 articles were included in the final set of the literature. Turning influences walking performance by requiring increasing time and effort from the participant to complete a turning task in patients with mobility disabilities, but not in stable patients with CVD. Conclusions: It can be suggested that turning parameters are not related to ISWT performance in stable patients with CVD. There is no need to take into consideration gait parameters when the shuttle walking test is performed in clinical practice. Turning may be more important in less-able patients with reduced mobility and greater orthopedic limitations. With larger, multicentered studies, such results can be validated and improve patient performance in clinical practice. © 2021 by Begell House,.