Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 Aug 27;13(1):54.
doi: 10.1186/s13047-020-00423-x.

Research on lower extremity health in patients with multiple sclerosis: a systematic scoping review

Minna Stolt  1 , Anne-Marie Laitinen  2   3 , Juhani Ruutiainen  4   5 , Helena Leino-Kilpi  2   3
Affiliations

Research on lower extremity health in patients with multiple sclerosis: a systematic scoping review

Minna Stolt et al. J Foot Ankle Res. .

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) often affects ambulation and the function of the lower limbs. However, little is known about how much research has been conducted on lower extremity health in patients with MS.

Objective: To analyse empirical studies and their evidence on lower extremity health in patients with MS, in order to identify the need for future studies in key areas.

Methods: A systematic scoping review was conducted. A literature search of Medline (PubMed), CINAHL (EBSCO) and the Cochrane Library databases was performed. The search covered the period up to 15 January 2020 from the earliest records available. This led to the inclusion of 42 empirical articles. The data were analysed using content analysis and quantification techniques.

Results: The research on lower extremity health focused primarily on two main areas: gait and lower extremity muscle strength. Lower extremity health was assessed using a variety of methods, most of which consisted of objective physical tests and gait analysis. Patients with MS had many problems with the health of their lower extremities, which manifested in walking difficulties, balance problems, muscle weaknesses and spasticity. In the feet, pes cavus, claw toes, oedema and altered foot sensation were common.

Conclusions: MS affects lower limb and foot health, and these problems can affect patients' daily lives. However, the extent of these problems is poorly understood, partly due to the dearth of research on lower limb and foot health. Therefore, further research is warranted in order to better understand the impact of MS on foot and lower limb health in everyday life.

Keywords: Lower extremity; Multiple sclerosis; Research; Review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Data extraction flowchart
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Compston A, Coles A. Multiple sclerosis. Lancet. 2008;372:1502–1517. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61620-7. - DOI - PubMed
    1. GBD 2016 Multiple Sclerosis Collaborators Global, regional, and national burden of multiple sclerosis 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016. Lancet Neurol. 2019;18:269–285. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(18)30443-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Pirttisalo AL, Soilu-Hänninen M, Sipilä J. Multiple sclerosis epidemiology in Finland: regional differences and high incidence. Acta Neurol Scand. 2019;139:353–359. doi: 10.1111/ane.13057. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Kurtzke JF. Rating neurologic impairment in multiple sclerosis: an expanded disability status scale (EDSS) Neurology. 1983;33:1444–1452. doi: 10.1212/WNL.33.11.1444. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hobart JC, Riazi A, Lamping DL, et al. Measuring the impact of MS on walking ability: the 12-item MS walking scale (MSWS-12) Neurology. 2013;60:31–36. doi: 10.1212/WNL.60.1.31. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms