This study investigates the validity and reliability of the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test under dual-task conditions in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic neurological disease that affects motor and cognitive functions, often leading to walking difficulties, balance problems, and increased risk of falls.
Volunteers with MS will be recruited from the Neurological Rehabilitation Unit at SANKO University. Eligible participants will perform the TUG test in three conditions:
Single-task TUG: normal TUG without additional tasks.
Cognitive dual-task TUG (kSKYT): performing TUG while counting backwards in threes or generating words starting with a specific letter.
Motor dual-task TUG (mSKYT): performing TUG while carrying a small ball on a tray.
Participants' demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, height, weight, MS duration, EDSS score, and history of falls, will be recorded. TUG tests will be conducted by two physiotherapists and repeated after one week to assess test-retest reliability and inter-rater reliability.
Convergent validity will be evaluated by comparing dual-task TUG results with single-task TUG, 25-step walking test, Mini-BESTest, and a dual-task questionnaire. Known-groups validity will be assessed by comparing results between MS patients who have fallen and those who have not.
All data will be coded and stored confidentially. The study is observational, with no experimental interventions, and each assessment session will take approximately 25-30 minutes.
