Support Foot Research Articles

Effect of Medial Arch Support Foot Orthosis on Pressure Distribution and Peak Pressure in Women with Hallux Valgus

Effect of Medial Arch Support Foot Orthosis on Pressure Distribution and Peak Pressure in Women with Hallux Valgus

Comparability between wearable inertial sensors and an electronic walkway for spatiotemporal and relative phase data in young children aged 6–11 years

BackgroundApproaches to gait analysis are evolving rapidly and now include a wide range of options: from e-patches to video platforms to wearable inertial measurement unit systems. Newer options for gait analysis are generally more inclusive for the assessment of children, more cost effective and easier to administer. However, there is limited data on the comparability of newer systems with more established traditional approaches in young children. Research questionTo determine comparability between the Physilog®5 wearable inertial sensor and GAITRite® electronic walkway for spatiotemporal (stride length, time and velocity, cadence) and relative phase (double support time, stance, swing, loading, foot flat and push off) data in young children. MethodsA total 34 typically developing participants (41% female) aged 6–11 years old median age 8.99 years old (interquartile range 2.83) were assessed walking at self-selected speed over the GAITRite® electronic walkway while concurrently wearing shoe-attached Physilog®5 IMU sensors. Level of agreement was analysed by Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), Bland-Altman plots and 95% limit of agreement. Systematic bias was assessed using 95% confidence interval of the mean difference. ResultsExcellent to almost perfect agreement was observed between systems for spatiotemporal metrics: cadence (CCC=0.996), stride length (CCC=0.993), stride time (CCC=0.996), stride velocity (CCC=0.988). The relative phase metrics adjusted for stride velocity showed improved comparability when compared to the unadjusted metrics: swing adjusted (adj) (CCC=0.635); stance adj (CCC: 0.879); loading adj: (CCC=0.626). SignificanceSpatiotemporal metrics are highly compatible across GAITRite® electronic walkway and Physilog®5 IMU systems in young children. Relative phase metrics were somewhat compatible between systems when adjusted for stride velocity.

The impact of backpack load on adolescent’s stair descent gait

This study investigates the impact of increasing backpack load on the gait of adolescents during stair descent. Sixteen healthy male students (age = 12.9 ± 0.6 years) were required to descend the stairs in 4 loaded conditions. The kinematic, kinetic, and EMG data were collected synchronously and gait parameters, especially indicators of balance control, were analyzed. The posterior tilt angles (COM-COP IA in the sagittal plane) (0 %-42 %, 48 %-53 %, 58 %-91 %, p < 0.01), trunk anterior tilt angles (9–33 %, 51–65 %, p < 0.01), and CV of stride length (p < 0.01) increased with the backpack load. The COM-Step edge separation decreased with the increased backload (p < 0.01). In addition, the hip flexion torque (25–40 %, 45–51 %, p < 0.01), the rectus femoris activation, and the hip stiffness increased significantly as the load up to 15 % Body Weight (BW)and 20 % BW. The increasing backpack load may affect adolescent’s stair descent gait. Especially as the load was up to 15 % BW, the adolescents’ bodies tended to tilt backwards relative to the support foot during the single stance phase. They may activate the hip flexors and tilt forward the trunk to recover from the balance perturbation, which was associated with increased hip flexion torques. This adjustment was more pronounced with the increasing backpack load. However, excessive forward flexion may increase the risk of forward falls. The boundaries of adjustment need further research in the future. Findings from this study provide baseline information on the intrinsic mechanisms of balance control during stair descent.

뇌졸중 환자의 발 정렬운동이 지지비율, 보행능력, 발 아치에 미치는 영향

뇌졸중 환자의 발 정렬운동이 지지비율, 보행능력, 발 아치에 미치는 영향

Supporting foot interaction of reaction time training system

SummaryReaction time, the ability to detect, process and respond to stimuli, is one of the fundamental factors in human computer interaction, and is a key cognitive skill in clinical and healthy populations. Good reaction time allows us to respond to stimuli and situations with agility and efficiency. How to train and improve a person's reaction time has become an important research question. In this paper, we present a new training genre which combines the user‐centered personalized training objects generation with precise tracking of foot interaction.Virtual objects are created with respect to the user's features and historical training effectiveness, and are in motion. A foot tracking algorithm based on three‐Gaussian model is designed to support interaction with stepping on moving virtual objects. We present the design and implementation of the system, as well as user studies. Findings illustrate that the reaction time performances are significantly improved following of seven days of training based on foot interaction.

The Relationship Between Kinematical Parameters of Trunk and Knee Injuries in Male Judo Players

Background and Aims The knee joint injury in judokas mostly occurs in the standing position. This study aims to investigate the relationship between kinematic variables of trunk and the occurrence of knee injuries in male judokas. Methods In this study, 15 male judokas aged 20-30 years (7 with a history of knee joint injury and 8 controls) were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then, after installing markers on their body, they were asked to stand on a 30-cm box and, after a jump upwards, land on the ground on one foot (the support foot). Cameras were used to measure the angles of the knee and trunk joints during the jump landing task. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to examine the normality of data distribution. ANCOVA was used to compare the groups. The ssignificance level was set at 0.05. Results Healthy judokas had lower knee flexion angle and higher knee valgus angle. Moreover, they had lower trunk flexion angle, higher internal knee rotation, and higher relative rotation speed between femur and tibia compared to the injured group (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion Male Judo players with a history of knee injury have lower knee flexion and greater knee valgus, lower trunk flexion, higher internal knee rotation, and higher relative rotation between femur and tibia compared to their healthy peers. Professionals and coaches need to design injury prevention exercises for this group of athletes.

Effects of Customized Biomechanical Footwear on Gait and Balance in Individuals with Polio: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Evidence suggests that the factors behind the increased risk of falls among polio survivors are mainly categorized into intrinsic and extrinsic domains. The intrinsic category involves factors like muscle weaknesses, fear of falls and self-reported balance problem. In contrast, extrinsic factors include poor environmental circumstances and ambulatory issues that cause reduced ability to adapt to walking conditions in polio patients. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate biomechanical footwear’s effects on gait and balance in individuals with polio. Methods A total of 30 participants were randomly divided into two groups of 15 each. The experimental group received customized shoe footwear with features such as medial arch support, metatarsal pad, rear foot control, fibreglass lateral counter, and a rocker sole. The control group did not receive specialized footwear. Results The intervention group showed significant improvements in several gait parameters compared to the control group, including step length (p=0.008), stride length (p=&lt;0.001), step width (p=0.002), cadence (p&lt;0.001) and speed (p=0.0009). The intervention group also showed significant improvements in Berg Balance Scale scores (p=0.07) compared to the control group. Conclusion Biomechanical footwear with medial arch support, metatarsal pad, and rear foot control can improve gait and balance in individuals with polio. Keywords Disability, Gait, Foot Orthosis, Poliovirus.

Vibrations on mastoid process alter the gait characteristics during walking on different inclines.

Eighty-eight percent of the persons with bilateral vestibular dysfunction have reported at least one fall within the past 5 years. The apparent alternations due to the bilateral vestibular dysfunctions (BVD) are the gait characteristics, such as slower walking speed, prolonged stance phase, and shorter step length. Unexpectedly, due to the prevalence of this BVD being relatively low, attention is not obtained as same as in other vestibular disorders. Moreover, how does walking on different inclines, part of daily activities, alter the gait characteristics under the unreliable bilateral vestibular systems? Previous studies used vibration-based stimulations (VS) as a perturbation to understand the postural control during walking while the bilateral vestibular systems were perturbed. Therefore, this study attempted to extend the knowledge to understand the alternations in spatial-temporal gait characteristics under perturbed bilateral vestibular systems while walking on different inclines. Nineteen healthy young adults participated in this study. Eight walking conditions were randomly assigned to each participant: 0%, 3%, 6%, and 9% grade of inclines with/without VS. The preferred walking speed was used for gait analysis. The dependent variables were stance time, double support time, step length, step time, step width, foot clearance, and respective variabilities. All dependent variables were defined by two critical gait events: heel-strike and toe-off. Pre-Hoc paired comparisons with Bonferroni corrections were used to prioritize the dependent variables. A two-way repeated measure was used to investigate the effect of VS and the effect of inclines on the selected dependent variables from Pre-Hoc analysis. Post-Hoc comparisons were also corrected by the Bonferroni method. The step length, step time, foot clearance, and foot clearance variability were selected by the Pre-Hoc analysis because the corrected paired t-test demonstrated a significant VS effect (p < 0.05) on these gait parameters at least one of four inclines. The significant interaction between the effect of VS and the effect of inclines was found in step length (p = 0.005), step time (p = 0.028), and foot clearance variability (p = 0.003). The results revealed that implementing a VS increased step length and step time when walking on 0%, 3%, and 9% of grade inclines. In particular, the foot clearance variability was found when walking on 9% of grade inclines. The observations in the current study suggested that VS increased the step length, step time, foot clearance, and foot clearance variability while walking on inclines. These results suggested that these gait parameters might be promising targets for future clinical investigations in patients with BVD while walking on different inclines. Importantly, the increases in spatial-temporal gait performance under bilateral VS might be an indicator of gait improvement while walking on different inclines.

A Review of the Therapeutic and Protective Effects of Kinesio Taping and Foot Orthosis in Patients With Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome

Background and Aims Numerous treatment modalities have been suggested for patients with medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), but the effectiveness of these interventions is still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a systematic review of the therapeutic efficacy of kinesio taping (KT) and foot orthosis for patients with MTSS. Methods The related articles were searched using selected keywords in Embase, Scopus, Medline, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, Biomed Central, and PubMed databases from inception to May 2021. After deleting duplicate and unrelated articles, the full text of 9 articles was received from the databases. Results According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, only 9 articles were eligible for the present review study, of which 5 articles examined the effectiveness of KT and 4 articles the effectiveness of plantar orthosis for people with MTSS. Previous studies showed that using anti-pronation KT can help reduce peak plantar pressure and pain and improve the function of patients with MTSS. Additionally, using the arch support foot orthosis can help correct the pressure distribution pattern under the foot and reduce the foot contact time, resulting in faster pain relief and the physical limitations caused by the MTSS. Kinesio taping, Foot orthosis, Medial tibial stress syndrome, Shin splintBased on the review articles, results indicate that both therapeutic interventions can be used to correct the pressure distribution pattern under the foot, reduce the pain and eliminate physical limitations caused by injuries in individuals with MTSS.

여자 국가대표 세팍타크로 선수의 Scissors spike 동작 시 근전도 분석

The purpose of this study is to analyze the EMG of the Scissors spike motion of the female national Sepaktakraw players. The results of this study are as follows. First, the total time required for Scissors Spike motion was 0.69±0.03 sec, and the required time was short in the order of phase 2, phase 3, phase 4, and phase 1. Second, mean EMG in phase 1 was the highest in the tibialis anterior muscle in the kicking foot and the gastrocnemius muscle in the supporting foot. And the maximum EMG was highest in the gastrocnemius muscle in both the kicking and supporting feet. Third, mean EMG in phase 2 was the highest in the gastrocnemius muscle in the kicking foot and the tibialis anterior muscle in the supporting foot. And the maximum EMG was highest in the gastrocnemius muscle in the kicking foot and the tibialis anterior muscle in the supporting foot. Fourth, in phase 3, mean EMG was highest in gastrocnemius muscle in the kicking foot and gastrocnemius muscle in the supporting foot. And the maximum EMG was highest in the gastrocnemius muscle in both the kicking and supporting feet. Fifth, mean EMG in phase 4 was the highest in gastrocnemius muscle in the kicking foot and gastrocnemius muscle in the supporting foot. And the maximum EMG was highest in the gastrocnemius muscle in both the kicking and supporting feet. Summarizing the results of this study, it was found that the gastrocnemius muscle was the most used muscle in the kicking foot and support foot during the Scissors Spike movement of the women’s national Sepak Takraw players, followed by the tibialis anterior muscle. And it can be seen that the muscles that use the greatest strength are the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscles.

An Analysis of Rotation Directions and Support Foot Preferences in Body Rotation Difficulties of Rhythmic Gymnasts

An Analysis of Rotation Directions and Support Foot Preferences in Body Rotation Difficulties of Rhythmic Gymnasts

Experiential knowledge of expert coaches on the critical performance factors of the taekwondo roundhouse kick

The primary aim of this study was to capture expert taekwondo coaches’ experiential knowledge regarding critical factors that underpin the roundhouse kick. The secondary aim was to explore the coaching–biomechanics interface and translate the coaches’ knowledge into observable biomechanical variables for future investigation. The final aim was to elicit further expert knowledge to assess the usefulness of the resulting variables. Six higher themes emerged from interviews involving four coaches: (1) hip flexibility, (2) balance, (3) control/coordination, (4) distance, (5) footwork and (6) speed. These were supported by several sub-themes. The authors translated each theme and sub-themes into biomechanical variables: (1) front knee height, (2) support foot balance, (3) foot velocity, (4) interpersonal distance and (5) cut-kick transition speed. Two separate expert coaches appraised these variables in terms of understanding, importance, coachability and differences in expertise. In attempting to translate expert knowledge to biomechanical variables, we supported the need for a common conceptualisation of knowledge between scientists and coaches.

Association of medial arch support of foot orthoses with knee valgus angle at initial contact during cutting maneuvers in female athletes: a controlled laboratory study

BackgroundThe effect of medial arch support foot orthoses on kinematics and kinetics of the knee joint has remained unknown.MethodsSixteen female collegiate-level athletes volunteered to participate. Participants were asked to perform a 30° sidestep cut using orthoses of 3 different medial arch heights, comprising of the following: (1) “low,” a full flat foot orthosis without arch support, (2) “mid,” a commercially available foot orthosis with general height arch support, and (3) “high,” a foot orthosis with double the commercially available height for arch support to observe the effect on the knee when overcorrected. Kinematics and kinetics of the knee joint were collected by a markerless motion capture system with 2 force plates and compared between orthosis types using linear regression analysis, assuming a correlation between the measurements of the same cases in the error term.ResultsThe knee valgus angle at initial contact was 2.3 ± 5.2 degrees for “low” medial arch support height, 2.1 ± 5.8 degrees for “mid,” and 0.4 ± 6.6 degrees for “high”. Increased arch support height significantly decreased the knee valgus angle at initial contact (p = 0.002). Other kinematic and kinetic measurements did not differ between groups.ConclusionsThe valgus angle of the knee at initial contact was decreased by the height of the medial arch support provided by foot orthosis during cutting manoeuvres. Increasing the arch support height may decrease knee valgus angle at initial contact. Medial arch support of foot orthosis may be effective in risk reduction of ACL injury.Clinical trial registration numbers and date of registration: UMIN000046071, 15/11/2021.

Impact of Low Social Support Systems on Post-Operative Outcomes of Ankle, Hindfoot and Midfoot Surgery

Category: Other; Hindfoot; Midfoot/Forefoot; Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Degenerative conditions of the ankle, hindfoot and midfoot can markedly limit mobility, and functional disability due to bone and joint pathology has been demonstrated to predict mortality, and in some cases, decrease life expectancy by up to 10 years. Optimizing outcomes in surgical treatment of these conditions is therefore essential and requires analysis of both medical interventions and psychosocial factors. Physicians have only recently begun to identify social support to be a key factor in post-operative functional ability, though our understanding of their impact on surgical outcomes is limited. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the link between low social support and postoperative surgical foot and ankle outcomes. Methods: A single-center, prospective study was conducted on patients who underwent elective or non-elective ankle, hindfoot, or midfoot surgery between 2015 and 2019. Patients who were pre-operatively and post-operatively assessed at 6 month or 1 year follow up using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Life-Space Assessment survey (LSA), and/or visual analog scale (VAS) for pain were administered a social support survey scoring the individuals social support system. Patient reported outcomes were compared between low social support patients (score &lt;= 13) and high social support patients (score &gt; 13). Results: Preoperative baseline and 6 month LSA scores in the low social support group were significantly lower compared to the normal social support group (P = 0.044, P = 0.038), a trend not observed at the 1 year post-operative mark. Low social support pre-operative SF-36 MCS scores (P = 0.015) were significantly lower than the high social support group with no difference detected in pre-operative SF-36 PCS scoring. At 6-month follow-up, the low social support group had significantly lower SF-36 PCS scores (P = 0.031) and SF-36 MCS scores (P = 0.006) compared to the high social support group. At 1 year follow up, these differences in PCS (P = 0.04) and MCS (P= 0.007) persisted. No significant differences in VAS scores were observed. Conclusion: Among adults undergoing foot and ankle surgery, low perceived social support was associated with lower degrees of perceived mental well-being and physical wellbeing up to 1 year postoperatively.

Health-related quality of life and associated factors among adult podoconiosis patients in Debre Elias district Northwest, Ethiopia.

BackgroundPodoconiosis is endemic non-filarial elephantiasis and non-infective neglected tropical disease. It has a wide impact on the physical, social and psychological aspects of the well-being of a person. However, limited information is available about the disease burden on health-related quality of life and associated factors in Ethiopia.ObjectiveThis study aimed is to determine health-related quality of life and associated factors among adult podoconiosis patients in Debre Elias district, Northwest, Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1 to March 30, 2020 in the Debre Elias district. A multi-stage stratified; systematic random sampling technique was employed to select 403 podoconiosis patients. The data were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi data version 4.6 and exported to STATA version 14 for analysis. After the assumption check for the linear regression model, simple and multiple regression was done to see the association between the predictor and outcome variables. Predictor variables that had p-value <0.2 at simple linear regression were taken into multiple linear regression. β coefficient with 95% CI and p-value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant variables in multiple linear regression analysis.ResultThe overall mean quality of life score among podoconiosis patients was 61.93±17.14. The mean quality of life score for the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains were 75.57±21.86, 60.43±18.58, 30.34±10.46, and 81.38±22.77 respectively. Foot care had a statically significant association with all domains. Higher quality of life podoconiosis patients was associated with foot care. Lower quality of life was associated with the presence of anxiety, advanced stage of the disease, and frequent adenolymphangitis attack.ConclusionSocial and psychological domains of quality of life were lowest as compared to physical and environmental domains of quality of life. Early medical treatment, psychosocial support, and home-based foot care should be encouraged to improve the quality of life in podoconiosis patients.

Acute Effects o Foot Orthosis on Lower Limb Joint Angular Velocities During Normal Gait

Background and Aims The use of arch support foot orthoses is becoming quite widesprea in the management of foot pathologies. This study examined how lower limb joint angular velocities change with wearing arch support foot orthoses. Methods In this semi-experimental study, 20 healthy male volunteers (age: 34.2±8.9 years; height: 173.5±5.4 cm; mass: 76.3±13.5 kg; and BMI: 25.7±9.1 kg/m2) participated. The participants completed ten walking trials at a self-selected walking speed while 3-dimensional kinematic data of their ankle, knee, and hip joints were collected. Paired samples t-test was used for comparing two conditions: shod with no orthoses and shod with arch support foot orthoses. Results The use of arch support foot orthoses decreased joint angular velocity for the hip extension (P=0.000) and ankle dorsiflexion (P=0.02) compared to walking without orthoses. However, results revealed no significant differences in knee joint angular velocity values between both walking conditions (P=0.16). Conclusion We concluded that arch support foot orthoses can decrease ankle and hip joint angular velocities. The use of arch-support foot orthoses reduces the risk of overuse injuries by decreasing lower limb joint angular velocities.

Prediction of the penalty kick direction in men’s soccer

ABSTRACT The penalty kick might be a crucial moment during a soccer game because of its relevance on the scoreboard, mainly during shootouts. For this purpose, the present study established a model to predict the ball direction taking into consideration the leg dominance of the penalty taker and other posture variables just before the ball contact. A total of 412 penalties from 11 international high-standard tournaments (2010–2019) were analysed. The better predictive model for the shot direction was selected through all possible subsets regression method. Thus, the final model included three predictors and two multiplicative terms, with an acceptable classifying power with a specificity and sensitivity greater than 85%. This model was applied for predicting the probability to shot to the left and the right side of the goal in 12 different kicking patterns. The most frequent pattern was a right-footed taker with the left arm in a >90° abduction with a left orientation of the support foot (n = 122; 30%). Following this pattern, probability of shooting to the left or to the right was 0.970 (95% CI: 0.927–0.988) and 0.030 (95% CI: 0.012–0.073), respectively. The present study conceived a model as parsimonious as possible with three predictors easily available to the goalkeeper.

The effect of planning time on penultimate and ultimate step kinematics and subsequent knee moments during sidestepping.

Frontal plane postures during the ultimate step of sidestepping are linked to increased anterior cruciate ligament injury risk. However, there is a lack of research detailing the kinematic strategies present in the penultimate step. This study, therefore, investigated penultimate and ultimate step kinematics of planned sidestepping (pSS) and unplanned sidestepping (upSS) to further understand the effect of planning time on known ultimate step kinematic and kinetic differences. Sixty male amateur Australian Rules football players performed three trials of straight-line running (RUN), pSS, and upSS in a randomized order. Mediolateral foot placement and three-dimensional joint kinematics for the knee, pelvis, and trunk were measured at final foot contact of the penultimate step and initial foot contact of the ultimate step. Peak knee moments were measured during the weight acceptance phase of the ultimate step. In pSS, at the penultimate step final foot contact, the support foot was placed across the midline of the center of mass, in the frontal plane, contralateral to the sidestep direction. Greater trunk lateral flexion toward the sidestep direction and greater negative pelvic lateral tilt were observed in pSS compared with upSS and RUN. Differences between pSS and upSS frontal plane kinematics at penultimate step final foot contact suggest preparatory reorientation strategies are likely constrained by the amount of planning time available. As there are clear differences in preparatory kinematics, we recommend that planning time be considered when training and assessing sidestepping maneuvers and planned and unplanned maneuvers not be treated as interchangeable skills.

STUDY ON MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF CABLE - STAYED BRIDGE SUPPORT SYSTEM IN MULTI - FULCRUM UNBALANCED ROTATION

With the maturity and wide application of the bridge rotation construction technology, the single-fulcrum spherical hinge balance rotation can not meet the need of crossing over the high-speed railway catenary and other obstacles, so the unbalanced rotation construction is often needed. In order to ensure the stability and safety of the unbalanced rotation process, a multi-pivot rotation method is proposed. In this paper, the railway cable-stayed bridge over Harbin West Avenue is taken as the research object, and the multi-fulcrum rotating construction method over the metal contact network is adopted. The Abaqus finite element model is established, the influence of different rotation angular velocity, friction coefficient of slideway and position of support foot on the force of support system in the course of rotation is studied. The results show that, compared with the traditional single-pivot rotation, the force on the multi-pivot rotation support foot becomes the main force component, and the force on the spherical hinge decreases. The rotation angular velocity is positively correlated with Mises stress of the support foot and the spherical hinge. The friction coefficient of the slideway has a great influence on the force of the support foot. When the friction coefficient of the slideway changes in order of 0.02,0.04,0.06,0.08 and 0.1, the friction stress of the outer edge of the support foot increases linearly. Considering the force of spherical hinge and support foot, the best position of supporting foot is 7.3 m from the center of spherical hinge. The research in this paper can be used for reference in the future multi-pivot unbalanced rotation construction.

Machine learning classification of multiple sclerosis patients based on raw data from an instrumented walkway

BackgroundUsing embedded sensors, instrumented walkways provide clinicians with important information regarding gait disturbances. However, because raw data are summarized into standard gait variables, there may be some salient features and patterns that are ignored. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory neurodegenerative disease which predominantly impacts young to middle-aged adults. People with MS may experience varying degrees of gait impairments, making it a reasonable model to test contemporary machine leaning algorithms. In this study, we employ machine learning techniques applied to raw walkway data to discern MS patients from healthy controls. We achieve this goal by constructing a range of new features which supplement standard parameters to improve machine learning model performance.ResultsEleven variables from the standard gait feature set achieved the highest accuracy of 81%, precision of 95%, recall of 81%, and F1-score of 87%, using support vector machine (SVM). The inclusion of the novel features (toe direction, hull area, base of support area, foot length, foot width and foot area) increased classification accuracy by 7%, recall by 9%, and F1-score by 6%.ConclusionsThe use of an instrumented walkway can generate rich data that is generally unseen by clinicians and researchers. Machine learning applied to standard gait variables can discern MS patients from healthy controls with excellent accuracy. Noteworthy, classifications are made stronger by including novel gait features (toe direction, hull area, base of support area, foot length and foot area).