Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 and oxygen cost of walking.
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 (O(2) 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 O(2) 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 O(2) 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).


CONCLUSIONS
We provide evidence that further confirms the validity of the MSWS-12 as a measure of the impact of MS on walking.
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States. robmotl@illinois.edu
Robert W
RW
Motl
Deirdre
D
Dlugonski
Yoojin
Y
Suh
Madeline
M
Weikert
Stamatis
S
Agiovlasitis
Bo
B
Fernhall
Myla
M
Goldman
D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*