title: Evaluation of Clinical Gait Analysis parameters in patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis: Analysis of kinematics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical Gait Analysis is commonly used to evaluate specific gait characteristics of patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis. The aim of this report is to present a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of the changes in Clinical Gait Analysis parameters in patients affected by Multiple Sclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study a sample of 51 patients with different levels of disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale 2-6.5) was analyzed. We extracted a set of 52 parameters from the Clinical Gait Analysis of each patient and used statistical analysis and linear regression to assess differences among several groups of subjects stratified according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale and 6-Minutes Walking Test. The impact of assistive devices (e.g. canes and crutches) on the kinematics was also assessed in a subsample of patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects showed decreased range of motion at hip, knee and ankle that translated in increased pelvic tilt and hiking. Comparison between the two stratifications showed that gait speed during 6-Minutes Walking Test is better at discriminating patients' kinematics with respect to Expanded Disability Status Scale. Assistive devices were shown not to significantly impact gait kinematics and the Clinical Gait Analysis parameters analyzed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were able to characterize disability-related trends in gait kinematics. The results presented in this report provide a small atlas of the changes in gait characteristics associated with different disability levels in the Multiple Sclerosis population. This information could be used to effectively track the progression of MS and the effect of different therapies.
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. Electronic address: giacomo.severini@ucd.ie.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Severini
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Department, Ferrara University Hospital, Via della Fiera, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manca
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Department, Ferrara University Hospital, Via della Fiera, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferraresi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Department, Ferrara University Hospital, Via della Fiera, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Luisa Maria
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Caniatti
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Department, Ferrara University Hospital, Via della Fiera, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cosma
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Department, Ferrara University Hospital, Via della Fiera, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baldasso
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Department, Ferrara University Hospital, Via della Fiera, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Straudi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Department, Ferrara University Hospital, Via della Fiera, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Department, Ferrara University Hospital, Via della Fiera, 44100 Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Basaglia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003446:Crutches; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000072797:Walking Speed
keywords: 6MWT; Clinical Gait Analysis; EDSS; Kinematics; Multiple sclerosis