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Clinical-oriented Three-dimensional Gait Analysis Method for Evaluating Gait Disorder
Published on: March 4, 2018
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Altered gait patterns during arch important development period in children with persistent obesity: An experimental
Luming Yang1, Xinye Liu1, Yuan Liu1
1National Engineering Laboratory for Clean Technology of Leather Manufacture, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
Gait & Posture
|May 4, 2024
Summary
Persistent childhood obesity impacts foot arch development and alters gait patterns, with heels inverted and forefeet everted. However, gait stability development is not significantly limited by obesity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Biomechanics
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Childhood obesity can lead to structural and functional foot changes during development.
- Continuous observation of foot development in persistently obese children is lacking, hindering preventive strategies.
- Understanding these changes is crucial for addressing potential long-term orthopedic issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of persistent obesity on gait patterns in children during a critical foot arch development period.
- To analyze longitudinal changes in foot structure and loading in children with persistent obesity.
- To compare gait parameters between persistently obese children and normal-weight peers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Footscan® plantar pressure system for three assessments over two years.
- Included 33 normal-weight children and 26 persistently obese children (aged 7-8 years).
- Employed repeated measures ANOVA/Friedman's test for longitudinal analysis and t-tests/Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests for cross-sectional comparisons.
Main Results:
- Persistently obese children showed higher arch index values by the third check, indicating slower development.
- Increased load was observed in the lateral rearfoot, first metatarsophalangeal joints, and great toe regions in obese children.
- Obese children exhibited greater initial medial-lateral foot displacement, though this difference decreased over time.
Conclusions:
- Persistent obesity during childhood foot development can result in abnormal arch structure and altered foot loading (heel inversion, forefoot eversion).
- Despite structural changes, the development of gait stability in persistently obese children is not significantly compromised.
- Early intervention may be necessary to mitigate long-term effects of obesity on foot development and biomechanics.
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