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Differences in ankle range of motion between pre-walking and walking infants

Sarah Wong1, Louise Ada, Jane Butler

  • 1Kandang Kerbau Hospital, Singapore.

The Australian Journal of Physiotherapy
|October 26, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Passive ankle dorsiflexion range decreases significantly as infants transition from pre-walking to new-walking stages. This finding is crucial for understanding motor development and assessing infants with disabilities.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Biomechanics
  • Motor Control

Background:

  • Passive ankle dorsiflexion range naturally decreases from approximately 60 degrees in neonates to 20 degrees in adults.
  • This reduction is associated with maturation and motor development, but its specific relation to early motor milestones requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between the reduction in passive ankle dorsiflexion and motor development in infants.
  • To compare passive ankle dorsiflexion in infants who are pre-walking versus those who are newly walking.

Main Methods:

  • Collected ankle angle and force data during passive ankle dorsiflexion.
  • Studied two groups of infants: 14 pre-walkers and 12 new-walkers.

Main Results:

  • Passive ankle dorsiflexion decreased by an average of 6.6 degrees.
  • Mean ankle dorsiflexion was 45 degrees in pre-walkers and 38 degrees in new-walkers.

Conclusions:

  • A normative decrease in passive ankle dorsiflexion occurs between the pre-walking and new-walking stages.
  • This data can guide the assessment and monitoring of ankle function in infants, particularly those with disabilities.

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