title: Steps per day among persons with multiple sclerosis: variation by demographic, clinical, and device characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify steps per day in a large sample of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to describe variation by demographic and clinical characteristics and device type.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  General community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of persons with multiple sclerosis (N=645) recruited from the general community who were ambulatory and relapse free for 30 days. Mean age ± SD of the participants was 46.3 ± 10.6 years old. Participants were mostly women (85%), white (93%), and employed (64%).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Step counts measured by a motion sensor during a 7-day period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average value for the entire sample was 5,903 ± 3,185 steps per day. This value varied by demographic and clinical characteristics, but not device type, and indicated that men, participants who were unemployed, had a high school education or less, progressive MS, a longer disease duration, and higher disability were less physically active based on the metric of steps per day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides an expected value for average steps per day among persons with MS. Such an expected value for this population is an important first step to help researchers and clinicians interested in improving the overall health of persons with MS through physical activity promotion.
authors: Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
authors: Deirdre
authors: D
authors: Dlugonski
authors: Lara A
authors: LA
authors: Pilutti
authors: Brian M
authors: BM
authors: Sandroff
authors: Yoojin
authors: Y
authors: Suh
authors: Swathi
authors: S
authors: Balantrapu
authors: Robert W
authors: RW
authors: Motl
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016138:Walking
keywords: ANCOVA; CI; EDSS; Expanded Disability Status Scale; Health; MS; Multiple sclerosis; PDDS; Patient Determined Disease Steps; Rehabilitation; Walking; analysis of covariance; confidence interval; multiple sclerosis