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Published on: April 18, 2011
Quantifying intra-limb coordination in walking of healthy children aged three to six
1National Engineering Laboratory for Clean Technology of Leather Manufacture, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, PR China.
Insights
Basic intra-limb coordination forms by age 3 in children, with gender differences emerging before age 6. Knee and ankle coordination patterns remain consistent across early childhood development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric biomechanics
- Developmental motor control
Background:
- Intra-limb coordination is crucial for gait development.
- Understanding early childhood motor development is essential for identifying potential developmental delays.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify intra-limb coordination in children aged 3-6 years.
- To explore gender differences in intra-limb coordination during early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Measured joint Euler angles and angular velocities in 180 healthy children.
- Calculated phase angle (PA) and continuous relative phase (CRP) to assess coordination.
- Utilized One-way ANOVA and GLM-Univariate for inter-age and gender difference analyses.
Main Results:
- Consistent knee and ankle coordination (PA and CRP) observed from ages 3-6.
- No significant inter-age differences in PA and CRP during key gait events.
- Gender differences in coordination were identified, particularly during gait transition periods.
Conclusions:
- Fundamental intra-limb coordination principles are established by age 3.
- Gender-specific coordination patterns emerge before the age of six.
- Gait control and balance continue to develop post-age 3, with early gender distinctions present.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was first to quantify intra-limb coordination and then to explore the gender differences of 180 healthy children aged 3-6. The children's joint Euler angles and angular velocities were measured and were used to calculate the phase angle (PA) and continuous relative phase (CRP). Firstly, a portrait of the mean and standard deviation (SD) of PA and CRP was applied to quantify coordination in the knees and ankles; then five key events in walking were selected and their inter-age differences were assessed by One-way ANOVA. Finally, gender differences were evaluated by GLM-Univariate. The significance level was 0.05 and confidence interval was 95%. Our results show that similar portraits of PA and CRP were found for knees and ankles from age 3-6; SD demonstrated that the PA and CRP in the knees and ankles were consistent with the increase in age. Moreover, θ_CRP(K-A) demonstrated that the direction reversal in heels off of those two joints in children aged 5 and 6 was earlier than those of age 3 and 4 and no inter-age significant differences were recorded for PA and CRP in either gait event. Finally, gender differences exist before the age of six, particularly in the transition period such as heel contact, toe off and during the mid swing. Overall, although further development such as gait control or balance is still improving, basic principle of intra-limb coordination has formed by the age of 3 and gender differences already existed before age of 6.
