Original articleAccelerometry and Its Association With Objective Markers of Walking Limitations in Ambulatory Adults With Multiple Sclerosis
Section snippets
Participants With MS
We recruited a sample of persons with MS through distribution of advertisements among 3 sources: a pool of previous research participants with MS, the local MS chapter, and referrals from local neurologists. Participants with MS who were interested in the study contacted our laboratory, by telephone or e-mail, for further information about the study. The study was described as a focus on the measurement of walking and energy expenditure among people with MS, and if the participant was
Sample Characteristics
The mean age ± SD of the sample was 43.1±11.9 years, and the sample was primarily women (n=22, 85%) and white (n=22, 85%). The mean height ± SD and mean weight ± SD were 169.2±9.3cm and 70.2±14.7kg, respectively, and this yielded a mean body mass index ± SD of 24.6±5.3kg/m2. The mean time ± SD since MS diagnosis was 11.6±8.4 years, and all participants had relapsing-remitting MS.
Descriptive Statistics
The descriptive and distributional statistics for the accelerometer, MSWS-12, PDDS, 6MWD, and oxygen cost of walking
Discussion
The results of the present study indicate that the average of total daily movement counts from the accelerometer was significantly and strongly correlated with distance traveled and the oxygen cost of walking during the 6MWT. This observation is important because the 6MWD and oxygen cost of walking are objective, laboratory-based markers of locomotor limitations in MS that likely reflect the capacity for ambulation in real life. Persons who have a lower capacity for walking based on a reduced
Conclusions
We provide evidence that extends the validity of inferences from accelerometry as a measure of walking limitations based on associations with the 6MWD and the oxygen cost of walking (ie, objective markers) in persons with MS. We await continued investigations of the validity and responsiveness of this metric versus other markers of walking limitations in MS, as this will highlight the comparative value of accelerometry for capturing real-life locomotor limitations. Such continued examination is
References (19)
- et al.
Confirmation and extension of the validity of the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12)
J Neurol Sci
(2008) - et al.
Continued validation of the Symptom Inventory in multiple sclerosis
J Neurol Sci
(2009) - et al.
Cardiorespiratory response to walk in multiple sclerosis
Respir Med
(2004) - et al.
Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 and oxygen cost of walking
Gait Posture
(2010) - et al.
Persistent pain and uncomfortable sensations in persons with multiple sclerosis
Pain
(2007) - et al.
Measuring the impact of MS on walking ability: the 12-item MS Walking Scale (MSWS-12)
Neurology
(2003) - et al.
Quantification of walking mobility in neurological disorders
QJM
(2004) - et al.
Measuring physical activity
Quest
(2001) - et al.
The effect of walking mobility on the measurement of physical activity using accelerometry in multiple sclerosis
Clin Rehabil
(2009)
Cited by (47)
Exercise training and cognition in multiple sclerosis: The GET Smart trial protocol
2021, Contemporary Clinical TrialsCitation Excerpt :Trainers supervised the 72 planned exercise sessions on a tapered schedule: every session for sessions 1–7, every third session for sessions 8–22, every sixth session for sessions 23–34, and every 9–10 sessions for sessions 35–72. Participants were asked not to undertake additional exercise during the study and this will be monitored by comparing an exercise history [46,47] and the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire administered at baseline, post-treatment and three-month follow-up [48–50]. The exercise condition is a graduated program of supervised aerobic exercise up to one hour per day, three days per week and lasting 6 months.
Improving our understanding of the most important items of the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 indicating mobility dysfunction: Secondary results from a RIMS multicenter study
2020, Multiple Sclerosis and Related DisordersReal-world walking in multiple sclerosis: Separating capacity from behavior
2018, Gait and PostureCitation Excerpt :Although MS subjects are active less often then controls [8,9], physical activity statistics (MPA and VPA) are correctly viewed as measures of activity behaviors, not precise measures of the impact of disease on subjects’ ability to be active. Daily step counts are the best known measure of real-world walking capacity, as shown by statistically significant correlations to the six-minute walk (6 MW), timed 25-foot walk (T25FW), and MS Walking Scale (MSWS-12) [10,11]. However, daily counts explain less than half of the variance in these outcomes [10,11], and they do not reliably change when patient-reported walking ability changes [12].
Physical Activity Behavior in Multiple Sclerosis: Definition, Rates, Outcomes, and Safety
2017, Nutrition and Lifestyle in Neurological Autoimmune Diseases: Multiple SclerosisDeterminants of physical activity in minimally impaired people with multiple sclerosis
2015, Clinical Neurology and NeurosurgeryDo Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms Influence the Construct Validity of Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 Scores?
2024, Rehabilitation Psychology
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.