In addition to visual, sensory, motor, and coordination impairments, cognitive problems, pain, and fatigue may occur in patients with pediatric-onset MS. Studies have reported that patients with pediatric-onset MS tend to participate in less physical activity and have lower exercise capacity compared to their healthy peers. Lower extremity functional capacity is impaired in most patients with MS, and the high prevalence of walking disorders is an example of this. Therefore, assessing lower extremity capacity and identifying modifiable determinants appears to be important. Moreover, a detailed assessment of lower extremity parameters in MS patients is crucial for determining appropriate rehabilitation programs. Transitioning from a sitting to a standing position is necessary for performing many activities in daily life. Assessment of lower extremity muscle strength using the sit-to-stand movement enables the development of preventive interventions in the early stages of the disease.
Our aim is to evaluate the performance of the Five-Times Sit-to-Stand (FTSTS) test in patients with pediatric-onset MS, compare it with healthy controls, and examine its relationship with physical activity, exercise capacity, functional mobility, quality of life, and fatigue. Under the supervision of a physical therapist, participants will be assessed using the FTSTS test to evaluate lower extremity muscle strength, the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) for physical activity, the 2-Minute Walk Test (2MWT) for exercise capacity, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test for functional mobility, the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) for quality of life, and the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale for fatigue.
It is planned to include 30 patients with pediatric-onset MS and 16 healthy controls, making a total of 46 participants in this study. The Shapiro-Wilk test will be employed to assess whether the data adhere to a normal distribution. Differences between groups will be analyzed using the independent sample t-test for normally distributed variables and the Mann-Whitney U test for non-normally distributed variables. The Chi-square test will be used to compare categorical variables. Intercorrelations among FTSTS and other variables will be calculated using Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis. This will be the first study to evaluate the performance of the FTSTS test in patients with pediatric-onset MS.
