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The effects of footwear cushioning on walking performance in females with multiple sclerosis

Date

2018

Authors

Monaghan, Andrew S., author
Fling, Brett W., advisor
Li, Kaigang, committee member
Stephens, Jaclyn, committee member

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Abstract

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease which incurs a multitude of walking impairments. Protective strategies targeted at maintaining postural stability during walking include increasing stance and double support time with reciprocal decreases in swing and single support time, however these adaptions inadvertently increase fall risk. The midsole construct of footwear has demonstrated the ability to mediate these deficits in running but has not been explored in a neurologic population with known fall risk. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two different midsole conditions on the spatiotemporal parameters of gait in females with multiple sclerosis (MS). Gait testing was conducted while 18 females with MS performed two-minute walk tests in 1) a high-cushion and 2) a standard-cushion midsole shoe. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were assessed using wireless inertial sensors. Participants spent less time in double support and stance phase with concomitantly more time in single support and swing phase in the high-cushion midsole shoe as compared to the standard-cushion. The high-cushion shoe may decrease fall risk by improving gait parameters associated with increased risk of falls.

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