Oxygen Cost During Mobility Tasks and Its Relationship to Fatigue in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

To compare the oxygen costs of mobility tasks between individuals with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) using walking aids and matched controls and to determine whether oxygen cost predicted fatigue. Cross-sectional descriptive. A rehabilitation research laboratory. A total of 14 adults with progressive MS (mean age ± SD [y], 54.07±8.46) using walking aids and 8 age- and sex-matched controls without MS (N=22). Participants performed 5 mobility tasks (rolling in bed, lying to sitting, sitting to standing, walking, climbing steps) wearing a portable metabolic cart. Oxygen consumption (V˙o2) during mobility tasks, maximal V˙o2 during graded maximal exercise test, perceived exertion, and task-induced fatigue were measured on a visual analog scale before and after mobility tasks. People with progressive MS had significantly higher oxygen cost in all tasks compared to controls (P