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Updated: May 11, 2026
Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion
Published on: January 15, 2016
Interlimb coordination during forward and backward walking in primary school-aged children
Pieter Meyns1, Kaat Desloovere, Guy Molenaers
1Group Neuromotor Rehabilitation, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium. pieter.meyns@gmail.com
Insights
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.
Abstract:
Previous studies comparing forward (FW) and backward (BW) walking suggested that the leg kinematics in BW were essentially those of FW in reverse. This led to the proposition that in adults the neural control of FW and BW originates from the same basic neural circuitry. One aspect that has not received much attention is to what extent development plays a role in the maturation of neural control of gait in different directions. BW has been examined either in adults or infants younger than one year. Therefore, we questioned which changes occur in the intermediate phases (i.e. in primary school-aged children). Furthermore, previous research focused on the lower limbs, thereby raising the question whether upper limb kinematics are also simply reversed from FW to BW. Therefore, in the current study the emphasis was put both on upper and lower limb movements, and the coordination between the limbs. Total body 3D gait analysis was performed in primary school-aged children (N = 24, aged five to twelve years) at a preferred walking speed to record angular displacements of upper arm, lower arm, upper leg, lower leg, and foot with respect to the vertical (i.e. elevation angle). Kinematics and interlimb coordination were compared between FW and BW. Additionally, elevation angle traces of BW were reversed in time (revBW) and correlated to FW traces. Results showed that upper and lower limb kinematics of FW correlated highly to revBW kinematics in children, which appears to be consistent with the proposal that control of FW and BW may be similar. In addition, age was found to mildly alter lower limb kinematic patterns. In contrast, interlimb coordination was similar across all children, but was different compared to adults, measured for comparison. It is concluded that development plays a role in the fine-tuning of neural control of FW and BW.
