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Clinical-oriented Three-dimensional Gait Analysis Method for Evaluating Gait Disorder
06:54

Clinical-oriented Three-dimensional Gait Analysis Method for Evaluating Gait Disorder

Published on: March 4, 2018

Is idiopathic toe walking really idiopathic? The motor skills and sensory processing abilities associated with

Cylie M Williams1, Paul Tinley, Michael Curtin

  • 11Cardinia Casey Community Health Service, Cranbourne, Australia.

Journal of Child Neurology
|January 26, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Children with idiopathic toe walking gait show differences in sensory processing and motor skills compared to their peers. This study highlights potential non-idiopathic factors contributing to toe walking in children aged 4-8.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric neurology
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Motor control

Background:

  • Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a gait characterized by persistent walking on the balls of the feet without a clear neurological or structural cause.
  • Understanding the underlying factors of ITW is crucial for effective intervention and management.
  • Previous research suggests potential links between ITW and sensory processing or motor skill deficits, but further investigation is warranted.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the motor skills and sensory processing abilities of children aged 4-8 with and without idiopathic toe walking gait.
  • To identify specific differences that may contribute to or be associated with ITW.
  • To explore potential non-idiopathic origins of toe walking behavior.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving 60 children aged 4-8, divided into two cohorts: 30 with idiopathic toe walking gait and 30 typically developing peers.
  • Participants underwent a battery of standardized, norm-referenced assessments.
  • Evaluated measures included sensory processing (Sensory Profile), gross motor proficiency (Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency), tactile sensory processing (vibration perception threshold), and balance (Sensory Integration and Praxis Test - Standing Walking Balance subtest).

Main Results:

  • Children with ITW exhibited significantly different scores across Sensory Profile quadrants (P = .002).
  • Poorer performance was observed in the ITW group on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (P ≤ .001).
  • A lower vibration perception threshold (P = .001) and poorer performance on the Standing Walking Balance subtest (P = .047) were also noted in children with ITW compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • The findings indicate significant differences in sensory processing and motor skills between children with and without idiopathic toe walking gait.
  • These differences suggest that ITW may not be entirely idiopathic and could be associated with underlying sensory and motor system variations.
  • Further research is recommended to explore the causative factors and implications of these observed differences for intervention strategies.

Keywords:
motor skillssensory processingtoe walking

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