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Updated: Oct 17, 2025
Clinical-oriented Three-dimensional Gait Analysis Method for Evaluating Gait Disorder
Published on: March 4, 2018
Effect of wearing diapers on toddler's gait
Tomoya Ueda1, Haruna Asano2, Kyoko Tsuge3
1Tokyo Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, 131-8501, Japan. ueda.tomoya@kao.com.
Insights
Disposable diapers impact infant gait development. Higher bulk stress in diapers significantly alters toddlers' natural walking patterns, affecting joint movement and step width compared to being naked.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Biomechanics
- Motor Development
Background:
- Infant gait development is a gradual process influenced by various factors.
- Childrearing practices, including diaper use, may affect motor development.
- Disposable diapers introduce external bulk and stress during a critical developmental period.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of different diaper bulk stresses on toddler gait.
- To compare gait parameters (joint kinematics, spatiotemporal) between wearing diapers and being naked.
- To determine if diaper bulk stress affects natural gait patterns.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-six healthy toddlers (19.2 ± 0.9 months) participated.
- Gait analysis included joint kinematics (pelvis, hip angles) and spatiotemporal parameters (step length, width).
- Measurements were taken under four conditions: naked, Type A_DRY, Type A_WET, and Type B_WET diapers, with varying bulk stresses.
Main Results:
- Toddler gait while wearing diapers differed significantly from naked gait.
- Diaper bulk stress affected lower limb mechanics and gait parameters.
- Higher bulk stress (Type B_WET) demonstrated a greater influence on joint dynamics and step width than lower bulk stress (Type A_DRY).
Conclusions:
- Disposable diapers alter infant gait patterns.
- The bulk and stress imposed by diapers can inhibit natural gait development.
- Diaper design, specifically bulk stress, is a critical factor to consider for optimal infant motor development.
Abstract:
Gait maturation in infants develops gradually through several phases. However, external factors such as childrearing practices, especially the wearing of diapers, may affect an infant's motor development. This study investigated the influence of different bulk stresses on the gait of toddlers wearing a disposable diaper. Twenty-six healthy toddlers (age: 19.2 ± 0.9 months) participated in this study. We measured the joint kinematics (pelvis angle and hip-joint angle) and spatiotemporal parameters (step length and step width) of the toddlers' gait under four dress conditions (wearing Type A_WET, Type A_DRY, and Type B_WET diapers and naked). Type B_WET had a higher bulk stress than Type A_WET, and Type A_DRY had lower stress than Type A _ WET. Our results indicate that the walk of toddlers when wearing a diaper differs from that when naked. This difference is due to the effect of the bulk of the diaper on the lower limb. A high bulk stress has a greater influence than that of a low bulk stress on joint dynamics and step width. Therefore, our findings suggest that wearing diapers with high bulk stress may inhibit the natural gait patterns of toddlers.
