Should participants be unable to hold onto the dumbbell, weight-matched wrist weights will be provided as an alternative. Again, staff will use a stopwatch to monitor the time and will count, tally, and record the number of repetitions performed. Next, upper-body flexibility will be assessed using the back-scratch test. Participants will first selleck chemicals Ruxolitinib be instructed to take one hand and place it over the same-side shoulder with their palm facing down, fingers extended, and elbow pointed up. Participants will then reach down

the middle of their back as far as they can. Once in place, they will be asked to place their remaining hand behind their back with the palm facing outward, with the goal of reaching up as far as they can to touch or overlap their extended middle fingers. As soon as the participant is in position, the tester will measure the distance between or overlapped by the two middle fingers with a ruler and record the reading. And finally, the chair sit-and-reach test will be used to measure lower body flexibility. For this assessment participants will be instructed to sit near the front end of a chair while bending one leg, with feet flat on the floor, and extending

the other, with only the heel touching the floor and toes pointed up towards the ceiling. The hands should then be set so that one is on top of the other with the tips of the middle fingers perfectly aligned. When in position, the participant will be told to reach as far forward towards their toes on the extended leg as they possibly can. The distance between the tip of their middle fingers and the tip of their shoe on the extended leg will be measured with a ruler and recorded. Timed 25-foot walk The timed 25-foot walk component of the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite will be used to assess participant mobility and gait-speed.29 Two trials will be conducted along a marked course and assistive devices will be allowed during this task, if needed. The time

used to complete these two trials will be monitored using a stopwatch. Grip strength A hand-held dynamometer (Jamar—Hydraulic Hand Dynamometer, Sammons Preston Rolyan, Bolingbrook, Illinois 60440, USA) will be used to measure grip strength.30 Assessments will be conducted twice on each hand in an alternating fashion. Participants will be asked to keep the arm being tested at a 90° angle against the side of their body. The tester will then place the dynamometer Drug_discovery in the participant’s hand and then ask the participant to squeeze the device as hard as they can for at least 3 s. The force generated will be displayed on the dial of the dynamometer and will be immediately recorded prior to moving on to the other hand. One leg stand Balance will be assessed using a one leg stand test.31 This assessment measures how long the participant can hold their balance on each of their legs for up to 30 s.