Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 10, 2026
A Method for Quantifying Upper Limb Performance in Daily Life Using Accelerometers
Published on: April 21, 2017
Real-World, Device-Based Peak Cadence Metrics in Black and White Adults With Multiple Sclerosis
Robert W Motl1, Trinh L T Huynh1,2, Jeffer Sasaki3
1Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
Background:
Walking performance is worse in Black than White adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), and that difference might extend into real-world, device-based measurements.
Objective:
The current study examined peak 30-minute cadence (Peak-30CAD) and peak 1-minute cadence (Peak-1CAD) in Black and White adults with MS.
Methods:
Participants with MS who self-identified as Black (n = 43) or White (n = 96) completed the Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FW) and 6-Minute Walk (6MW), and wore an accelerometer on a belt around the waist during the waking hours of the day for a 7-day period.
Results:
Peak-30CAD and Peak-1CAD along with T25FW and 6MW were significantly lower in Black than White participants when controlling for imbalances in age, sex, education, and disease duration, with the differences approaching a moderate magnitude. The differences in Peak-30CAD and Peak-1CAD were smaller and non-significant in additional sensitivity analyses further controlling for number of days of valid accelerometer data. Peak-30CAD and Peak-1CAD had strong correlations with T25FW and 6MW in Black and White participants.
Conclusion:
Peak-30CAD and Peak-1CAD were associated with laboratory-based walking performance in both Black and White adults with MS and may provide complementary real-world mobility metrics.
