Relationship Between Single- and Dual-Task Obstacle Crossing Performance and Fatigue and Disability in Multiple Sclerosis

July 30, 2026 updated by: Yunus Emre Kundakçı, Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University

Relationship Between Single- and Dual-Task Obstacle Crossing Performance and Fatigue and Disability Levels in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

This cross-sectional observational study aims to investigate the relationship between obstacle crossing performance under single-task and dual-task conditions and the levels of fatigue and disability in individuals with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS). Walking performance will be assessed under standard walking and obstacle crossing conditions with and without a concurrent cognitive task. The study will examine how increased task complexity affects walking performance and its association with fatigue, disability, cognition, and functional mobility.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that frequently causes gait impairment, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, and reduced functional mobility. Since daily activities often require simultaneous motor and cognitive performance, assessment under dual-task conditions provides clinically meaningful information beyond conventional gait evaluation.

Obstacle crossing represents a more demanding walking task than level walking and may better reflect mobility challenges encountered in everyday life. Although dual-task walking has been investigated in individuals with MS, studies examining obstacle crossing performance under both single-task and dual-task conditions and its relationship with fatigue and disability remain limited.

This cross-sectional observational study will include men and women aged 18 to 65 years with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis who are followed at the Neurology Outpatient Clinic of Kocaeli City Hospital. Participants will complete walking assessments under four conditions: single-task walking, dual-task walking, single-task obstacle crossing, and dual-task obstacle crossing. The dual-task condition will require participants to perform serial-3 subtraction while walking.

Clinical assessments including fatigue, walking limitation, cognition, health-related quality of life, and fear of movement will also be collected. The study aims to determine the association between obstacle crossing performance and fatigue and disability levels in individuals with RRMS.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Merkez
      • Afyonkarahisar, Merkez, Turkey (Türkiye), 03000
        • Recruiting
        • Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults aged 18 to 65 years with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis who are followed at the Neurology Outpatient Clinic of Kocaeli City Hospital, have an EDSS score between 0 and 6, are clinically stable, and meet all eligibility criteria.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 18 and 65 years.
  • Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis according to the 2017 McDonald criteria.
  • Diagnosis of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
  • Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score between 0 and 6.
  • Clinically stable disease during the previous 6 months.
  • Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 26 or higher.
  • Able to speak and understand Turkish.
  • Able to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Multiple sclerosis relapse within the previous month.
  • Physician-diagnosed psychiatric disorder.
  • Neurological, orthopedic, cardiac, or pulmonary disease other than Multiple Sclerosis that could interfere with study assessments.
  • Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score below 26.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis
Adults aged 18 to 65 years with a diagnosis of Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) according to the 2017 McDonald criteria, an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score between 0 and 6, a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score of 26 or higher, and a clinically stable disease course during the previous 6 months. Participants will undergo observational assessments of walking, obstacle crossing performance, fatigue, cognition, functional mobility, and fear of movement. No intervention will be administered.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Dual-Task Cost During Obstacle Crossing
Time Frame: Baseline
Walking performance will be assessed using the 10-Meter Walk Test under four conditions: single-task walking, dual-task walking with serial-3 subtraction, single-task obstacle crossing, and dual-task obstacle crossing with serial-3 subtraction. Walking time and cognitive task performance will be recorded. Dual-Task Cost (DTC, %) will be calculated to quantify the effect of performing a concurrent cognitive task during walking.
Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK)
Time Frame: Baseline
The Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) is a 17-item questionnaire used to assess fear of movement. Total scores range from 17 to 68, with higher scores indicating greater kinesiophobia.
Baseline
The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS)
Time Frame: Baseline
The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) evaluates the impact of fatigue on physical, cognitive, and psychosocial functioning during the previous month. Total scores range from 0 to 84, with higher scores indicating greater fatigue impact
Baseline
Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12)
Time Frame: Baseline
The Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 is a patient-reported outcome measure that evaluates the impact of multiple sclerosis on walking ability. Raw total scores range from 12 to 60, with higher scores indicating greater walking limitation.
Baseline
Monitoring My Multiple Sclerosis Scale (MMMS)
Time Frame: Baseline
The Monitoring My Multiple Sclerosis Scale (MMMS) evaluates physical status, relationships, energy, and cognitive or mental status. Total scores range from 26 to 104, with higher scores indicating better health status and functioning.
Baseline
Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)
Time Frame: Baseline
The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) assesses the severity of fatigue and its impact on daily functioning. It consists of 9 items scored from 1 to 7. The total score is calculated as the mean of the 9 items, ranging from 1 to 7, with higher scores indicating greater fatigue severity.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Afyonkarahisar Health Sciences University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
March 20, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
July 25, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 20, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 26, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 26, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 30, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 31, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 30, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2026/2-122

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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