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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
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Traditional Trail Making Test Modified into Brand-new Assessment Tools: Digital and Walking Trail Making Test
Published on: November 23, 2019
Community walking can be assessed using a 10-metre timed walk test
J C E Kempen1, V de Groot, D L Knol
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.kempen@vumc.nl
Multiple Sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)
|May 31, 2011
Summary
Gait speed is linked to community walking ability in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. However, a minimally important change in gait speed could not be established using the MFWC or EDSS criteria.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Mobility decline is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS).
- Community walking scales assess independent ambulation in MS patients.
- The Modified Functional Walking Categories (MFWC) is a key assessment tool.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific gait speeds corresponding to MFWC categories.
- To determine the minimally important change (MIC) in absolute gait speed for MS.
- To utilize MFWC and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) as external criteria for MIC determination.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of MS patients over six years.
- Gait velocity measured using the 10-metre timed walk test (10-m TWT).
- MS severity assessed with EDSS; community walking with MFWC.
- Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves used to define gait speed cut-offs for MFWC categories.
Main Results:
- A significant correlation was observed between gait speed and MFWC categories (AUCs 0.74–0.86).
- The minimally important change (MIC) in absolute gait speed could not be determined.
- Area Under the Curve (AUC) values were below the 0.70 threshold, and gait speed changes were minimal.
Conclusions:
- Gait speed is demonstrably related to community walking abilities in MS.
- Establishing a minimally important change (MIC) in absolute gait speed was not feasible with the chosen external criteria (MFWC, EDSS).
- Further research may be needed to refine MIC determination for gait speed in MS.
