Relationships between disease severity and walking kinematics in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

Sumire D. Sato; Sutton B. Richmond; Clayton W. Swanson; Kristin A. Johnson; Brett W. Fling; Rachael D. Seidler

doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.110011

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Relationships between disease severity and walking kinematics in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Relationships between disease severity and walking kinematics in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

Sumire D. Sato, Sutton B. Richmond, Clayton W. Swanson, Kristin A. Johnson, Brett W. Fling and Rachael D. Seidler

Gait & posture, Vol.123, p.110011

01/01/2026

DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.110011

PMID: 41130119

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Abstract

Declines in walking function commonly occur in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Walking is a continuous movement and a complex motor task that requires precise timing and scaling of activation across many muscles. Identifying kinematic gait characteristics during a 2-min walk test that are associated with disease severity in individuals with relapsing-remitting MS. Participants (n = 45) were instrumented with inertial measurement units from APDM (APDM Inc, Portland, OR, USA) and performed the 2-min walk test twice: once at their self-selected speed and another at their fastest, safe speed. Gait speed was not associated with MS disease duration (Self-selected: p = 0.180; Fast: p = 0.167). Canonical correlation analysis showed that disease severity characteristics was strongly associated with lateral step width variability and ankle pitch at toe-off, which was also reflected in the multiple linear regression models. Both self-selected and fast-speed kinematics were associated with disease duration (Self-selected: p = 0.007; Fast: p = 0.004). Our study highlights the importance of considering individual differences in specific gait kinematics (such as lateral step width variability and ankle pitch at toe-off) when assessing disease severity in MS. This approach may provide more personalized insights into the impact of MS on mobility and help tailor interventions to improve gait and overall function in affected individuals. Future research should continue exploring these kinematic parameters to better understand their role in MS severity and progression and develop targeted therapeutic strategies. •Multiple sclerosis disease duration was not associated with gait speed.•Multivariate models with gait kinematics are associated with disease severity metrics.•Disease duration is linked to step width variability and ankle pitch at toe-off.

Inertial sensors

Kinematics

Multiple sclerosis

Multivariate

Neurorehabilitation

Details

Title: Subtitle: Relationships between disease severity and walking kinematics in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Creators: Sumire D. Sato - University of Florida
Sutton B. Richmond - Malcom Randall VA Medical Center
Clayton W. Swanson - Malcom Randall VA Medical Center
Kristin A. Johnson - Colorado State University
Brett W. Fling - Colorado State University
Rachael D. Seidler - University of Florida
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Gait & posture, Vol.123, p.110011
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.110011
PMID: 41130119
ISSN: 0966-6362
eISSN: 1879-2219
Publisher: Elsevier B.V
Language: English
Date published: 01/01/2026
Academic Unit: Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9985132072902771

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