Energy Cost of Walking and Its Association With Gait Parameters, Daily Activity, and Fatigue in Persons With Mild Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Background. Energy cost of walking (Cw) is elevated in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), perhaps because of gait impairment, and may impact daily activity and fatigue. Objective. The authors examined for associations between Cw, spatiotemporal gait parameters, daily activity, and perceived fatigue in persons with mild MS. Methods. Forty-four participants completed 4 trials of walking on a GAITRite mat and one 6-minute trial of walking on a treadmill at a constant, controlled speed of 54 m min−1 while expired gases were analyzed for oxygen consumption. Participants also completed the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and wore a waist-mounted accelerometer for 7 days. Results. Cw was significantly and inversely associated with gait speed ( r = −.25) and stride length ( r = −.32) and positively associated with double limb support ( r = .27). Cw was significantly and inversely associated with daily accelerometer activity counts ( r = −.35) and positively associated with FSS scores (ρ = .31). Conclusion. The results support the development and application of rehabilitation strategies to address impaired gait parameters as an approach to improve Cw, daily activities, and fatigue.