Abstract
Objective
To examine the concurrent validity of the Six-Spot Step Test (SSST) with clinical
measures of walking and spatiotemporal measures of gait in multiple sclerosis (MS),
and to understand the utility of the SSST in individuals with both low and high levels
of disability.
Design
Cross-sectional study.
Setting
Laboratory.
Participants
Individuals with relapsing-remitting MS (N=29).
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
In a single visit, demographic information (age, sex, Expanded Disability Status Scale
[EDSS], symptom duration) and functional measures (SSST, timed Up and Go [TUG] test,
timed 25-foot walk [T25FW] test, spatiotemporal measures of walking) were collected.
Results
The SSST demonstrates concurrent validity with the TUG test, T25FW test, and 2-minute
walk test (2MWT) (P≤.0002). Both spatial and temporal measures of gait are significantly related to SSST
performance (P<.004). In individuals with lower disability (EDSS score 1–3.5), the SSST remains
strongly related to the TUG test and T25FW test performances, whereas it fails to
relate to any other measures. However, in the higher disability group (EDSS score
4–6), the SSST is significantly related to the TUG test, T25FW test, 2MWT, walk velocity,
and both temporal and spatial measures of gait.
Conclusions
The SSST is an alternative test for lower-extremity function in the clinical setting
that may useful in both higher and lower EDSS groups. The SSST requires minimal training
to administer and may be a time-efficient measure of real-life functional performance
that would be useful in large clinical trials.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale), MS (multiple sclerosis), SSST (Six-Spot Step Test), TUG (timed Up and Go), T25FW (timed 25-foot walk), 2MWT (2-minute walk test)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 11, 2015
Footnotes
Supported by a National Multiple Sclerosis Society Research Grant.
The funding source had no role in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation, or writing of this report.
Disclosures: Zackowski reports grants from Sun Pharmaceuticals and Acorda Therapeutics that are outside the submitted work. The other authors have nothing to disclose.
Identification
Copyright
© 2016 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
