Gait differences in patients with multiple sclerosis who have low and high levels of disability.

BackgroundMultiple Sclerosis (MS) often results in gait impairment and disability. ObjectiveTo investigate differences in spatiotemporal gait characteristics of people with MS who have low versus high levels of disability. Between trial and inter-limb consistency and the association of gait variables with level of disability were also investigated. MethodsParticipants with MS who had either low-disability [n=7; 3 females; EDSS mean: 2.7{+/-}0.5, range 2.0-4.5; BMI=26.9{+/-}6.6] or high-disability [n=11; 6 females; EDSS mean: 2.7{+/-}0.5, range 6.0-6.5; BMI=27.8{+/-}1.5) performed 2 trials of self-selected walking on an instrumented walkway. Differences in group, limb, and group by limb interactions were assessed using analysis of variance, independent-measures t-tests, and Cohens d effect sizes (ES). Between-trial consistency of gait were assessed with intra-class correlation coefficients (2, k). ResultsParticipants in the high disability group had increased step time (ES=0.8), cycle time (ES=0.8), and ambulation time (ES=1.2) while taking shorter strides (ES=0.9) and more steps at a slower rate (ES=1.1). The high disability group demonstrated less between-trial consistency for 69% of gait variables when compared to the low disability group. ConclusionPeople with MS who have high levels of disability walk differently and with less consistency than those with lower levels of disability.