Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 and oxygen cost of walking
Received 10 November 2009; received in revised form 2 February 2010; accepted 14 February 2010. published online 12 March 2010.
Abstract
Background
The 12-item multiple sclerosis walking scale (MSWS-12) has been validated against self-report and clinical markers, but has not been validated with a physiological marker of locomotor impairment.
Objective
This study further validates the MSWS-12 based on its correlation with the oxygen cost (O2 cost) of walking as a physiological marker of locomotor impairment in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Methods
Participants (N=24) with MS completed the MSWS-12 and then wore a portable metabolic unit for measuring the O2 cost of walking during three 6-min walk (6MW) tests. The first 6MW test involved the participant's comfortable walking speed (CWS), whereas the second and third 6MW tests were undertaken above (faster walking speed, FWS) and below (slower walking speed, SWS) the participant's CWS (i.e., ±5mph CWS).
Results
MSWS-12 scores correlated strongly with O2 cost of walking during the 6MW tests undertaken at CWS (r=.641, p=.001), FWS (r=.616, p=.001), and SWS (r=.639, p=.001).
Interpretation
We provide evidence that further confirms the validity of the MSWS-12 as a measure of the impact of MS on walking.
aDepartment of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States
bDepartment of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
Corresponding author at: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, 350 Freer Hall, 906 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States. Tel.: +1 217 265 0886; fax: +1 217 244 7322.
ABSTRACT