Gait variability measures reveal differences between multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls

Jeffrey P. Kaipust, Jessie M. Huisinga, Mary Filipi, Nicholas Stergiou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

94 Scopus citations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in gait variability between patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and healthy controls during walking at a self-selected pace. Methods: Kinematics were collected during three minutes of treadmill walking for 10 patients with MS and 10 healthy controls. The Coefficient of Variation (CoV), the Approximate Entropy (ApEn) and the Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) were used to investigate the fluctuations present in stride length and step width from continuous strides. Results: ApEn revealed that patients with MS had significantly lower values than healthy controls for stride length (p < .001) and step width (p < .001). Conclusions: ApEn results revealed that the natural fluctuations present during gait in the stride length and step width time series are more regular and repeatable in patients with MS. These changes implied that patients with MS may exhibit reduced capacity to adapt and respond to perturbations during gait.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)229-244
Number of pages16
JournalMotor Control
Volume16
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012

Keywords

  • Gait variability
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Nonlinear dynamics
  • Step width
  • Stride length

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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