Towards a Clinically Viable Measurement of Gait Quality: Construction and Validation of a Multiple Sclerosis Gait Deviation Index

Current clinical gait assessments for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) primarily focus on gross outcomes such as walking speed and endurance. These outcomes overlook the detailed kinematic features that can reveal specific gait impairments or improvements over time. Motion analysis systems can provide this level of detail but are costly, time-intensive, and impractical for routine clinical use. Recent advances in marker-less motion capture and pose estimation algorithms have enabled precise kinematic assessments without specialized lab infrastructure. Off-the-shelf cameras or even personal smartphones can now be used to capture full-body gait kinematics in minutes. In this presentation, we will discuss the collection of gait kinematics in people with MS, and the construction of a MS-specific Gait Deviation Index (GDI). This single composite score summarizes the quality and spatiotemporal parameters of gait to facilitate clinical interpretation.