Participants were recruited for this study through the local MS Societies and District Health Board in New Zealand as part of a larger ongoing study exploring the barriers and facilitators to physical activity for people with MS. All those who agreed to participate in the larger study were asked to indicate on their consent form whether they would also be willing to participate in this accelerometer testing study. Potential participants were eligible to take part if they had received a definite diagnosis of MS by a neurologist, were able to communicate with the researchers, and were independently mobile (with or without the use of an assistive device). Potential participants were excluded if they had any medical condition that precluded them from participation in any physical activity component of the study. Of those who gave consent, we aimed to recruit 30 participants, a sample size commonly used in this population and studies of this type,30, 32, 34 in which capturing a diverse sample is fundamental to making appropriate assessments of instrument reliability and acceptability.35 Participants were purposefully selected, aiming for diversity in level of reported disability, age, sex, and type of MS. To do this, we initially stratified participants into low, medium, and high disability groups, based on a combination of self-reported disability items, such as the number of assistive devices and use of arms and legs (full, partial, or no use). From each of these strata, we then purposefully selected participants aiming for diversity in age, sex, and type of MS. Selected participants were then contacted via the telephone and screened for eligibility using a modified version of the PAR-Q.36 If participants answered yes to any of the questions on the PAR-Q, then medical clearance was obtained from their general practitioner before taking part in the testing.

Participants were recruited for this study through the local MS Societies and District Health Board in New Zealand as part of a larger ongoing study exploring the barriers and facilitators to physical activity for people with MS. All those who agreed to participate in the larger study were asked to indicate on their consent form whether they would also be willing to participate in this accelerometer testing study. Potential participants were eligible to take part if they had received a definite diagnosis of MS by a neurologist, were able to communicate with the researchers, and were independently mobile (with or without the use of an assistive device). Potential participants were excluded if they had any medical condition that precluded them from participation in any physical activity component of the study.

Of those who gave consent, we aimed to recruit 30 participants, a sample size commonly used in this population and studies of this type,30, 32, 34 in which capturing a diverse sample is fundamental to making appropriate assessments of instrument reliability and acceptability.35 Participants were purposefully selected, aiming for diversity in level of reported disability, age, sex, and type of MS. To do this, we initially stratified participants into low, medium, and high disability groups, based on a combination of self-reported disability items, such as the number of assistive devices and use of arms and legs (full, partial, or no use). From each of these strata, we then purposefully selected participants aiming for diversity in age, sex, and type of MS. Selected participants were then contacted via the telephone and screened for eligibility using a modified version of the PAR-Q.36 If participants answered yes to any of the questions on the PAR-Q, then medical clearance was obtained from their general practitioner before taking part in the testing.