Gait response of people with multiple sclerosis to real life simulated different walking surfaces.

Background: Gait abnormalities are one of the most common symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis and can significantly impact quality of life. It is believed that walking in external environments may contribute to further changes in gait. Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different textured walking surfaces on the gait characteristics of individuals with MS. Materials and Methods: A sample of 24 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) was evaluated using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) to determine the level of disability. Participants were asked to walk on four different surface types: grass, pebbles, soft, and hard. Gait was recorded using video, and the walking was analyzed using Kinovea software to assess differences in gait velocity across the various surfaces. Comparisons were then made to evaluate how gait velocity varied between the different surface conditions. Results: Significant differences in gait velocity were observed across the different textured surfaces (p = 0.000). There was a significant difference in gait velocity between the grass surface and both the soft (p = 0.001) and pebble surfaces (p = 0.000), as well as between the hard surface and the soft (p = 0.000) and pebble surfaces (p = 0.000). Conclusion: The results emphasize the importance of providing gait training on different textured surfaces that simulate real-life environments for PWMS, to help reduce gait difficulties.