The effect of intermittent vs. continuous walking on distance to fatigue in persons with multiple sclerosis

Purpose Previous studies provided evidence that persons with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) who walk intermittently experience less fatigue and walk longer distances than when walking continuously. However, total distance pwMS can walk in either condition is unknown. We examined time and distance to fatigability in pwMS comparing intermittent walking (IW) to continuous walking (CW). Materials and Methods 18 pwMS, with Expanded Disability Status Scale median of 4.75 [range = 2-6.5, IQR = 2.5] participated in this randomized crossover study. The IW condition consisted of alternating 30 s treadmill walking and 30 s seated rests. The CW condition consisted of treadmill walking without breaks. Treadmill speed (TS) was determined by an overground 2-min walk test. Walking fatigability was determined by participants walking on the treadmill, until gait fatigue was noted by patient or examiners. Total time and distance to gait fatigue, and subjective fatigue as measured by the Visual analog scale of fatigue were recorded. Results Participants had significantly longer duration and distance to fatigue in the IW condition than the CW condition (ps <= 0.037). No difference in VASF scores between the two conditions were noted. Conclusion In this sample, IW allowed pwMS to perform a greater volume of walking and can be an option to improve walking endurance in this population.