The significant change for the timed 25-foot walk in the multiple sclerosis functional composite

The Timed 25-Foot Walk is under evaluation as a clinical tool to follow Pat ients with MS. Several approaches have been token to define a clinically si gnificant change in this measurement This study was undertaken to define th e range of values expected for the Timed 25-Foot Walk and to correlate pros pectively the change in walk-time that occurs during on exacerbation of MS associated with subjective difficulty walking Five results from this study ore emphasized. (1) Patients who were minimally affected by MS frequently w alked 25 feet between three and five seconds. (2) the walk-time variability , defined of the ratio of the longest to the shortest walk-time, minus 1, t imes 100% for three consecutive trials was generally 20% or less; (3) if th e two fastest walk-times obtained in three trials were compared, the walk-t ime variability was almost always 10% or less; (4) for clinically stable in dividuals, the walk-times of single trials separated by 12 months or less g enerally varied less than 20%; and (5) patients who complained of difficult y walking but who did not hove changes otherwise detectable by examination, generally had a prolongation of walk-time. These results suggest that on i ncrease of more than 20% in the Timed 25-Foot Walk may indicate a significa nt change in gait.