A comparison of kinetic gait parameters for 3-13 year olds
Victoria L Chester1, Maureen Tingley, Edmund N Biden
1Faculty of Kinesiology, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, 2 Peter Kelly Dr, Fredericton, NB, Canada E3B 5A3. vchester@unb.ca
Background:
Normative gait data is essential for diagnosing and treating abnormal gait patterns. The examination of the onset of adult-like kinetic gait patterns in children has generated inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to identify age-related differences in kinematic and kinetic gait parameters across children aged 3-13 years old.
Methods:
A motion capture system and three force plates were employed to compute sagittal joint angles and joint kinetics during walking and compare results between children aged 3-4 years (n=13), 5-6 years (n=10), 7-8 years (n=12), and 9-13 years (n=12). Anthropometric data was estimated using a mathematical model (elliptical cylinder method). Peak flexion and extension joint angles and moments, and peak concentric and eccentric joint powers were analyzed using multivariate analyses of variance.
Findings:
For most of the variables examined, similar results were obtained across age groups. Reduced peak hip flexion moments and knee extension moments were observed in the 3-4 year olds compared to the oldest group of walkers. Compared to the 9-13 year olds, reduced ankle joint moments and power were observed in most age groups.
Interpretation:
The results suggest that adult-like kinetic patterns for the hip and knee were attained by 5 years of age. However, for the ankle joint, adult-like patterns are not achieved until nine years of age or older. These findings stress the importance of using age-matched normative data for clinical gait analysis.
