Sedentary behavior is associated with disability status and walking performance, but not cognitive function, in multiple sclerosis.

Eighty-two persons with multiple sclerosis wore an accelerometer as a measure of sedentary time (min/day) and completed measures of disability status (self-reported Expanded Disability Status Scale), walking performance (timed 25-foot walk and 6-min walk), and cognitive function (symbol digit modalities test). Accelerometry-measured sedentary time was significantly correlated with disability status scores (r = 0.31, p < 0.01), 6-min walk distance (r = -0.40, p < 0.01), and timed 25-foot walk performance (r = 0.35, p < 0.01), but not cognitive function performance (r = -0.12, p = 0.29).