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Published on: April 13, 2016
The Effects of Vibration on the Gait Pattern and Vibration Perception Threshold of Children With Idiopathic Toe
Hsinchen Daniel Fanchiang1, Mark Geil2, Jianhua Wu2
1National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan hfanchiang@gmail.com.
Insights
Whole body vibration did not alter gait patterns in children with idiopathic toe walking. However, the HR32 calculation effectively identified the characteristic toe-walking pattern, and hypersensitivity to vibration was not observed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a common gait abnormality in children with unclear etiology.
- Current treatments for ITW lack conclusive evidence of effectiveness.
- Investigating novel therapeutic interventions like vibration is crucial for ITW management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the immediate effects of whole body vibration (WBV) on gait parameters in children with ITW.
- To assess vibration perception thresholds in children with ITW compared to typically developing peers.
- To determine the utility of the HR32 calculation in identifying ITW patterns post-vibration.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 15 children with ITW and 15 typically developing children (ages 4-10).
- Inclusion of barefoot gait analysis and vibration perception threshold tests before and after a 60-second WBV intervention.
- Measurement of temporal-spatial gait parameters and the HR32 index.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in gait patterns were observed between ITW and control groups after a single WBV session.
- The HR32 calculation proved effective in distinguishing the ITW gait pattern (P < .001).
- Children with ITW did not exhibit hypersensitivity to vibration (P = .921).
Conclusions:
- A single bout of WBV intervention does not immediately alter gait patterns in children with ITW.
- The HR32 metric is a reliable indicator for identifying the specific gait characteristics of ITW.
- The findings do not support the hypothesis of vibration hypersensitivity in children with ITW.
Abstract:
The effectiveness of idiopathic toe walking treatments is not conclusive. The study investigated the use of vibration as a therapeutic/treatment method for children with idiopathic toe walking. Fifteen children with idiopathic toe walking and 15 typically developing children, aged 4 to 10 years, completed the study. The study included a barefoot gait examination and a vibration perception threshold test before and after standing on a whole body vibration machine for 60 seconds. Temporal-spatial parameters were recorded along with HR32, a calculation designed to distinguish on aspects of the toe-walking pattern. No significant gait pattern differences were found between children with idiopathic toe walking and typically developing children after one bout of vibration intervention. HR32 was found to be a means to identify the toe-walking pattern (P < .001). Hypersensitivity to vibration of children with idiopathic toe walking was not found in the current study (P = .921).
