Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026
Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
Published on: November 7, 2014
Temporal-spatial gait parameters and neurodevelopment in very-low-birth-weight preterm toddlers at 18-22 months
Katelyn Cahill-Rowley1, Jessica Rose2
1Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Motion & Gait Analysis Laboratory, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Redwood City, CA, USA.
Insights
Very-low birth-weight (VLBW) preterm toddlers show altered gait patterns, with wider steps and longer step times compared to typically developing peers. These gait changes correlate with neurodevelopmental scores, suggesting potential for early motor impairment detection.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanical Engineering
Background:
- Children born very-low birth-weight (VLBW) face heightened risks of motor impairments.
- Early identification of motor delays is crucial for timely intervention and improved long-term outcomes.
- Temporal-spatial gait parameters offer a quantifiable and accessible method for assessing gross motor function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze and compare gait characteristics between VLBW preterm and typically developing (TD) toddlers.
- To investigate the relationship between gait parameters and neurodevelopmental outcomes in VLBW preterm toddlers.
- To evaluate the potential of gait analysis as an early screening tool for motor delays.
Main Methods:
- Gait parameters including velocity, cycle time, step width, step length and time asymmetry, %stance, %single-limb support, and %double-limb support were measured.
- 81 VLBW preterm toddlers and 43 TD toddlers participated in the study.
- Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-3rd Edition (BSID-III) motor composite and gross motor scores.
Main Results:
- VLBW preterm toddlers exhibited significantly wider mean step width compared to TD toddlers.
- Preterm toddlers with lower BSID-III motor composite scores (<85) showed increased step width, step length asymmetry, and step time.
- Step time was notably longer in lower-scoring preterm toddlers, indicating sensitivity to motor performance gradations.
- Several gait parameters, including velocity, cycle time, and step length asymmetry, significantly correlated with BSID-III gross motor scores.
Conclusions:
- Temporal-spatial gait parameters reveal distinct differences in VLBW preterm toddlers, particularly those with motor delays.
- Gait analysis, specifically parameters like step time, shows promise as a sensitive indicator of motor performance.
- These findings support the development of clinically practical gait assessments for early detection of gross motor development issues in at-risk toddlers.
Abstract:
Children born preterm with very-low birth-weight (VLBW) have increased risk of motor impairment. Early identification of impairment guides treatment to improve long-term function. Temporal-spatial gait parameters are an easily-recorded assessment of gross motor function. The objective of this study was to characterize preterm toddlers' gait and its relationship with neurodevelopment. Velocity, cycle time, step width, step length and time asymmetry, %stance, %single-limb support, and %double-limb support were calculated for 81 VLBW preterm and 43 typically-developing (TD) toddlers. Neurodevelopment was assessed with Bayley Scales of Infant Development-3rd Edition (BSID-III) motor composite and gross motor scores. Mean step width (p=.009) was wider in preterm compared to TD toddlers. Preterm toddlers with <85 BSID-III motor composite scores, indicating mild-to-moderate delay, had significantly increased step width, step length asymmetry, and step time compared to TD toddlers. Step time was also significantly longer for lower-scoring compared to higher-scoring (≥85 BSID-III motor composite scores) preterm toddlers, suggesting that step time may be particularly sensitive to gradations of motor performance. Velocity, cycle time, step length asymmetry, %stance, step length, and step time significantly correlated with BSID-III gross motor scores, suggesting that these parameters may be revealing of gross motor function. The differences in gait between lower-scoring preterm toddlers and TD toddlers, together with the correlations between gait and BSID-III motor scores, suggest that temporal-spatial gait parameters may be useful in building a clinically-relevant, easily-conducted assessment of toddler gross motor development.
