Physical Activity Assessment in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is on the second place after epilepsy in the young people fourth place among the neurological diseases of central nervous system. The main feature of the up-to-date MS therapy is the individual approach to the patient. Interest to the monitoring of the individual load in the daily activity is tremendously increased the last years. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the possibility of the loading monitoring in the MS patients with a help of special measurement insoles and mobile application (both iOS and Android), allowing calculating not only the number of steps, but also the total loading, contact time, foot contact areas, imbalance, and cadence. Comparison of 2 patients with the same MS type and the same therapy was performed. Both patients are males, differ by age and body mass index, with no disability (minimal disability in 2 functional systems). Application of up-to-date measurement devices and mobile application allows to estimate the daily patient activity as well as the other parameters characterizing the gait pattern and its impairments. Functional diagnostics during barefoot platform measurements and influence of the shoes in in-shoe measurements give the opportunity to assume the limitation of physical activity in persons with MS.