Evaluation of the biometric value of observational gait scales - Wisconsin Gait Scale and Gait Abnormality Rating Scale – modified in neurological diseases

The study is going to be conducted among selected 30 hemiplegic patients with multiple sclerosis and 30 hemiplegic patients after stroke. The objective of the study is to assess inter- and intra-observer reliability of the Wisconsin Gait Scale (WGS) and Gait Abnormality Rating Scale – modified (GARS-M) in observational gait analysis based on the analysis of video recording in hemiplegic patients and to present the possibility of using this scales in everyday practice in the case of hemiplegic multiple sclerosis and post-stroke patients. The study also seeks to examine correlations between gait assessment made with the WGS, GARS-M and walking speed, walking distance, self-reliant mobility, balance and efficiency in terms of activities of functional independence. The patients' gait is going to be assessed with the use of WGS, GARS-M, walking speed with the use of 10-metre walk test and 25-foot walk test, walking distance in a 2-min walk test, self-reliant mobility with the use “Up and Go” test, balance in Berg Balance Scale and efficiency in terms of activities of functional independence in the Barthel Index and FIM Scale. The subjects’ gait is going to be recorded with two synchronised digital cameras distributed in such a way as to obtain images record in both a frontal plane and a sagittal plane. The walking path is going to be 10 meters long. One camera is going to be aligned in the direction of the gait in the frontal plane, the second camera recording the image in the sagittal plane is going to be halfway up the walking path at a distance of 2 meters from the pathway. The cameras are going to be set up to allow visualization of 3 walking trials examining the unaffected and the affected sides for a total of 6 ambulation trials. The subjects are going to be instructed to walk at the defined distance at self-selected (comfortable) speed, with the support of orthopaedic aids used on a regular basis. Interpretation of the recording and gait assessment based on WGS and GARS-M is going to be performed independently by three experienced observers (physiotherapists with more than 10 years of experience in working with post-stroke and multiple sclerosis patients) and five inexperienced observers (students of the last year of physiotherapy). All observers are going to be trained in gait disorders affecting post-stroke and with hemiplegic multiple sclerosis patients, and trained in the use and interpretation of the WGS and GARS-M. Intra-observer reliability of the WGS and GARS-M in the assessment of hemiplegic multiple sclerosis and post-stroke patients is going to be done by independent experienced and inexperienced researchers separately analyzing video recording, evaluation results are going to be compared among researchers. Inter-observer reliability of the WGS and GARS-M in the assessment of hemiplegic multiple sclerosis and post-stroke patients is going to be done by independent experienced and inexperienced researchers separately twice (two weeks apart) analyzing video recording, evaluation results are going to be compared between the study 1 (baseline) and 2. Two studies are going to be conducted and the approximate duration of each of the assessment sessions will amount to 60 minutes for the study 1 and 60 minutes for the study 2. The study 2 will be performed 2 weeks after the study 1 (baseline). All patients are going to be examined in the same laboratory by the same people and with the use of the same equipment. The observation period is 3 months. The observation period refers to total recruitment of all participants.