Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 26, 2025
Quantified Assessment of Infant's Gross Motor Abilities Using a Multisensor Wearable
Published on: May 17, 2024
Key points of development of motor skills in childhood embodied in gait parameters
Shujia Wang1, Haichao Cui1, Tong Tang1
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, China.
Insights
Children
Area of Science:
- Pediatric gait analysis and motor development.
- Biomechanical assessment of early childhood movement patterns.
Background:
- Understanding the development of gait parameters in young children is crucial for identifying motor skill progression.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the age-related changes and inter-segmental coordination in preschool-aged children's gait.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the age-related changes in correlations between gait parameters across different body segments in children aged 3-6 years.
- To identify key developmental aspects of motor skills in walking during the preschool period.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional observational study involving 89 children aged 3-6 years.
- Utilized a wearable gait analysis system to assess 37 three-dimensional (3-D) gait parameters during a 2-minute walking test.
- Analyzed correlations between four sets of body segments: upper limbs, trunk, waist, and lower limbs.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related differences were observed in gait speed, stride length, and trunk sagittal range of motion (ROM).
- Male children exhibited significantly greater left and right toe out angle, waist sagittal ROM, trunk coronal ROM, and arm swing velocity compared to females.
- Canonical correlations between upper limbs and trunk/waist increased with age, while trunk-waist correlation decreased; lower limb correlations were not significant.
Conclusions:
- Gait parameter values and symmetry alone do not fully represent motor skill development in 3-6-year-olds.
- Coordinated trunk and upper limb movement, isolated from the waist, is critical for walking skill development, with girls showing better development.
- Lower limb isolation is well-developed before the preschool period; these findings inform motor interventions for children with dysfunction.
Objective:
To observe changes of correlations of gait parameters of four sets of body in children aged 3-6.
Design:
A cross-sectional observational study.
Setting:
Dong Gang kindergarten in Suzhou, China.
Participants:
A total of 89 children between 3 and 6 years old.
Main Outcome Measures:
A total of 37 three-dimensional (3-D) gait parameters assessed with a wearable gait analysis system in 2-min walking test, for 3 times.
Results:
There were significant differences in gait speed, stride length and sagittal range of motion (ROM) of trunk among children of 3-6 years old (P < 0.05). The left and right toe out angle, sagittal ROM of waist, coronal ROM of trunk and arm swing velocity of male were significantly greater than those of female children (P < 0.05). Most gait parameters were symmetrical (P < 0.01). Canonical correlations of Upper Limbs Set vs. Trunk and Waist Sets increased by ages (P < 0.05). Canonical correlation of Trunk Set vs. Waist Set decreased by ages. Canonical correlations of Lower Limbs Set to any other sets were not significant (P > 0.05).
Conclusions:
Values and symmetry of gait parameters cannot reflect the development of motor skill during ages of 3-6. Proper trunk movement coordinating with upper limbs and isolating from waist is the key point of development of motor skill in walking. It is built during preschool period and girls develop better. Before the preschool period, lower limbs' isolating movements from the other segments have already developed well. These key points of motor skills in walking should be considered when motor tasks for segment isolation and coordination are given to children with motor dysfunction.
