Ir J Med Sci. 2026 May 25. doi: 10.1007/s11845-026-04463-3. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Functional mobility impairment is common in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and affects daily functioning.
AIM: The present study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the L Test, a measure commonly used to assess functional mobility, across different levels of disease severity in individuals with MS.
METHODS: A total of 35 individuals with clinically confirmed MS and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores ranging from 0-3.5 were recruited. Participants with EDSS scores between 0 and 1.5 were assigned to Group 1, while those with scores between 2-3.5 constituted Group 2. To determine inter-rater reliability, the L Test was administered on the same day by two independent physiotherapists.
RESULTS: Group 1 comprised 17 participants with a mean age of 40.82 ± 13.62 years, while Group 2 included 18 participants with a mean age of 48.44 ± 8.89 years. The test-retest reliability of the L Test was excellent, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.99 (95% CI: 0.999-1.000). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that the L Test had a very high discriminative ability in differentiating between the two groups (AUC = 0.997). Correlation analyses revealed a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship between the L Test and the TUG Test in both groups (Group 1: r = 0.712, p = 0.001; Group 2: r = 0.856, p < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the L Test is a valid and reliable tool for assessing functional mobility in individuals with MS presenting with varying functional levels.
PMID:42183986 | DOI:10.1007/s11845-026-04463-3
