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Published on: March 4, 2018
The Effects of Walking Surface on the Gait Pattern of Children With Idiopathic Toe Walking
Hsinchen Daniel Fanchiang1, Mark Daniel Geil2, Jianhua Wu2
1National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan, Taiwan hfanchiang@gmail.com.
Insights
Investigating walking surfaces for children with idiopathic toe walking revealed that a pea gravel surface significantly reduced toe-walking. This finding suggests gravel may be a beneficial intervention for improving gait in these children.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Pediatric Gait Analysis
- Physical Therapy Interventions
Background:
- Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) is a common gait abnormality in children.
- Current treatments for ITW lack conclusive effectiveness.
- Understanding environmental influences on gait is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different walking surfaces on gait parameters in children with ITW.
- To compare gait patterns between children with ITW and typically developing (TD) children across various surfaces.
- To identify potential therapeutic benefits of specific walking surfaces for ITW.
Main Methods:
- A barefoot gait examination was conducted on 15 children with ITW and 15 TD children (ages 4-10).
- Participants walked barefoot across three distinct 4-meter surfaces: vinyl tile, carpet, and pea gravel.
- Temporal-spatial gait parameters and early heel rise (HR32) were measured.
Main Results:
- Both ITW and TD children exhibited similar gait pattern modifications across the tested surfaces.
- A significant difference was observed in HR32 between the ITW and TD groups (P < .001).
- Children with ITW demonstrated significantly reduced toe-walking behavior on the pea gravel surface (P < .001).
Conclusions:
- Walking surface significantly influences gait parameters in both children with ITW and TD children.
- The pea gravel surface showed a notable reduction in toe-walking in children with ITW.
- Further research into the therapeutic application of walking on gravel surfaces for ITW is warranted.
Abstract:
Idiopathic toe walking treatments are not conclusively effective. This study investigated the effects of walking surface on gait parameters in children with idiopathic toe walking. Fifteen children with idiopathic toe walking and 15 typically developing children aged 4 to 10 years completed the study, which included a barefoot gait exam over three 4-m walkways. Each of the walkways was covered with a different surface: vinyl tile, carpet, and pea gravel. Temporal-spatial parameters were recorded along with a measure of early heel rise (HR32). Children with idiopathic toe walking and typically developing children shared similarly changed gait patterns on each surfaces. Only HR32 was significantly different between the groups (P < .001). Children with idiopathic toe walking showed significantly less toe-walking on the gravel walkway (P < .001). Walking surface plays a significant role in altering gait patterns in both children with idiopathic toe walking and typically developing children. Walking on a gravel surface should be further explored for idiopathic toe walking.
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