Muscle Fatigue in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

Effect of Muscle Fatigue on Strength, Joint Position Sensation, and Walking in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis

It is stated that 85% of patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) complain of gait disorders and 35-90% of them have fatigue. Many factors play a role in the fatigue mechanism in MS patients. Fatigue can increase the symptoms that already exist in MS patients. It is thought that fatigue caused a decrease in muscle strength, making walking worse. There are not enough studies investigating whether fatigue affects gait parameters in MS patients.

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of muscle fatigue on muscle strength, joint position sensation, and gait in MS patients.

Patients with MS between 0-5,5 score according to the Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and healthy individuals of similar age and sex to patients will be included in the study. The muscle strength, joint position sensation, gait, and fatigue will be evaluated once.

The investigators will use descriptive statistics and t-tests to compare demographic characteristics between groups and for the categorical variables chi-square. Effect of the group (MS patients or healthy controls), condition (Single task and dual-task conditions), and group × condition interaction will be compared using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants who 18-65 years of age
• MS patients who are ambulatory (Expanded Disability Status Scale score ≤ 5,5 ) in a stable phase of the disease, without relapses in the last 3 month

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants who have orthopedic, vision, hearing, or perception problems