Arm Swing Movements during Walking as an Early Predictor of Multiple Sclerosis Progression

Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS) are at a high risk of falling, with abnormal gait pattern. The upper limbs play an important role in postural control and gait stability. The presence of arm swing changes during walking in pwMS, especially in the early period, may be an indicator of balance problems. The current study aimed to assess arm swing during walking in early MS. A total of 18 pwMS were evaluated in two time points. The first time was after their first (stable) diagnosis (pre-evaluation) and the second time was 3 months after the pre-evaluation. In addition, 10 healthy controls were evaluated once. Arm swing analysis during walking, using video recording, was applied to both groups. Additionally, the MS group performed the Two-Minute Walk Test, Timed Up and Go, and Timed 25-Foot Walk Test. The pwMS showed similar joint angles at both the first and second evaluations. Only the elbow ROM value on the least affected side was lower in pwMS than healthy controls at the second evaluation (p = 0.027). The early MS patients showed altered arm swing pattern. As walking speed and mobility scores did not change over time, the decrease in elbow amplitude over a 3-month period indicates that the arm swing may present a pattern resulting from MS-specific disorders rather than being a compensatory mechanism in walking. From the earliest stages of the disease, variations in arm swing movements during walking may be considered as a disease progression-predictor for MS.