Gait kinematics of people with Multiple Sclerosis and the acute application of Functional Electrical Stimulation
View/ Open
Date
2014-04Author
van der Linden, Marietta
Scott, S. M.
Hooper, Julie
Cowan, P.
Mercer, Tom
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
van der Linden, M., Scott, S., Hooper, J., Cowan, P. & Mercer, T. (2014-04) Gait kinematics of people with Multiple Sclerosis and
the acute application of Functional Electrical Stimulation, Gait & Posture, vol. 39, pp. 1092-1096.
Abstract
This study aimed to (i) compare the gait characteristics of people with Multiple Sclerosis
(pwMS) to those of healthy controls walking at the same average speed, and (ii) assess the
effects of the acute application of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) to the dorsiflexors.
Twenty-two people with pwMS (mean age 49 years), prescribed FES, and 11 age matched
healthy controls participated. Three dimensional gait kinematics were assessed whilst (i)
pwMS and healthy controls walked at self-selected speeds (ssws), (ii) Healthy controls also
walked at the average walking speed of the pwMS group, and (iii) people with MS walked
using FES.
Compared to healthy controls walking at their ssws, pwMS walked slower and showed
differences in nearly all gait characteristics (p<0.001). Compared to healthy controls walking
at the same average speed, pwMS still exhibited significantly shorter stride length (p=0.007),
reduced dorsiflexion at initial contact (p=0.002), reduced plantar flexion at terminal stance
(p=0.008) and reduced knee flexion in swing (p=0.002). However, no significant differences
were seen between groups in double support duration (p=0.617), or hip range of motion
(p=0.291). Acute application of FES resulted in a shift towards more normal gait
characteristics, except for plantar flexion at terminal stance which decreased.
In conclusion, compared to healthy controls, pwMS exhibit impairment of several gait
characteristics that appear to be independent of the slower walking speed of pwMS. The
acute application of FES improved most impaired gait kinematics. A speed matched control
group is warranted in future studies of gait kinematics of pwMS.