Interlimb coordination during forward and backward walking in primary school-aged children.

Area of Science:

• Developmental neuroscience
• Biomechanics
• Gait analysis

Background:

• Previous research suggests forward (FW) and backward (BW) walking share neural control, with BW kinematics mirroring FW in reverse.
• The role of development in the maturation of gait control for different directions, especially in primary school-aged children, is under-explored.
• Existing studies often focus solely on lower limb kinematics, neglecting upper limb involvement and interlimb coordination in BW.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate kinematic changes in both upper and lower limbs during forward and backward walking in primary school-aged children.
• To examine the coordination between limbs during forward and backward walking in this age group.
• To compare forward and backward walking kinematics and interlimb coordination between children and adults.

Main Methods:

• Total body 3D gait analysis was conducted on 24 children aged 5-12 years at their preferred walking speed.
• Angular displacements (elevation angle) of upper arm, lower arm, upper leg, lower leg, and foot were recorded.
• Kinematics and interlimb coordination were compared between FW and BW. BW data were time-reversed (revBW) and correlated with FW data.

Main Results:

• Upper and lower limb kinematics in FW highly correlated with time-reversed BW (revBW) kinematics in children, supporting similar control mechanisms.
• Age had a minor influence on lower limb kinematic patterns.
• Interlimb coordination was consistent across all children but differed significantly from adult patterns.

Conclusions:

• The findings suggest that the neural control of forward and backward walking may be based on similar circuitry, even in developing children.
• Development plays a role in the fine-tuning of neural control for both forward and backward gait.
• Interlimb coordination patterns mature beyond childhood, indicating developmental changes in gait control.