Submaximal field walking tests are easy to apply and low cost, but it is necessary to standardize their application, especially in the pediatric population. The feasibility and its use in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) have been studied.

To verify the submaximal field walking tests applied in the cardiopulmonary evaluation of children and adolescents with CHD.

Literature systematic review, the search for scientific articles was carried out in the electronic databases Medical Literature Analysis and Retrievel System Online (MEDLINE via PubMed), Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), Cochrane-Library, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and ScienceDirect, structured in PICO format, without date restrictions. For the search strategy, words from the Medical Subject Heading Terms (MeSH) dictionary were used with the following descriptors: [(“Congenital Heart Defects” OR “Congenital Heart Defect” OR “Malformation of Heart” OR “Heart Abnormality” OR “Congenital Disorders” OR “Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities” OR “Tetralogy of Fallot” OR “Tricuspid Atresia” OR “Ebstein Anomaly” OR “Ebstein's Malformation” OR “Birth Defects” OR “Congenital Abnormalities”) AND (“Walk Test” OR “6 -min Walk Test” OR “6-minute Walk Test” OR “Six-minute Walk Test” OR “Endurance Shuttle Walk Test”)], which were later adapted to the other bases that were used in this review. Looking for studies that used submaximal field walking tests in children and adolescents with congenital heart disease aged 5 to 18 years. Methodological quality, effectiveness and safety, and risk of bias were assessed.

Five studies met the eligibility criteria with a sample of 160 individuals with CHD, and all used the six-minute walk test (https://www.physio-pedia.com/Six_Minute_Walk_Test_/_6_Minute_Walk_Test6MWT). Note that different methodologies and modifications are used. The only clinical trial showed good methodological quality. Four studies had a low risk of bias, and one study had a moderate risk.

In this review, the 6MWT proved to be the first-choice method for assessing exercise capacity in children and adolescents with CHD, however, the lack of standardization in the application of the test became evident, which made it difficult to compare the results.

Reducing the limitations and heterogeneity in the application of the test will enable more concrete outcomes and facilitate their reproduction in clinical practice.