Exercise intolerance is a common symptom in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and reflects not only cardiorespiratory status, but global disease severity and prognosis.

Evaluating exercise capacity allows the monitoring of disease trajectory and response to intervention. Although formal cardiopulmonary metabolic exercise testing provides a wealth of physiological information, this is impractical in some settings. Field tests, which do not require specialist equipment and expertise, are widely used as surrogates.

This review examines established and emerging field tests of exercise capacity, and examines the evidence supporting the validity, reliability, and interpretation of these tests in the assessment of individuals with COPD. The 6-minute walk, incremental shuttle walk, and...