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Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults
08:56

Clinical Assessment of Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Patients and Older Adults

Published on: November 7, 2014

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Spatiotemporal Gait Variables and Step-to-Step Variability in Preschool-Aged Children Born Very Preterm at Risk for

Reem A Albesher1, Jennifer L McGinley2, Fiona L Dobson2

  • 1Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|September 27, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Children born very preterm at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCD) exhibit poorer gait performance, particularly during dual-task walking. Early identification of these gait deficits is crucial for intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neurology
  • Gait Analysis

Background:

  • Children born very preterm often display gait impairments compared to full-term peers.
  • Identifying very preterm children at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is essential for early intervention.
  • Gait deficits in very preterm children are more pronounced during dual-task walking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare spatiotemporal gait variables between preschool-age children born very preterm at risk for DCD and those not at risk.
  • To identify specific gait parameters that differentiate very preterm children with and without DCD risk.
  • To investigate gait performance under various conditions, including preferred speed, cognitive dual-task, motor dual-task, and tandem walking.

Main Methods:

  • Participants included preschool-age children born < 30 weeks' gestation.
  • Risk for DCD was defined using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (≤16th percentile), Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Fourth Edition (≥80), and absence of cerebral palsy.
  • Spatiotemporal gait variables were assessed using GAITRite® during preferred speed, dual-task, and tandem conditions.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in most gait variables were observed during preferred speed walking between groups.
  • Children at risk for DCD exhibited a wider base of support (BOS) and shorter single support time during motor dual-tasking.
  • Wider BOS and higher cadence were noted in children at risk for DCD during tandem walking.

Conclusions:

  • Preschool-age children born very preterm and at risk for DCD demonstrate poorer walking performance, especially in dual-task situations.
  • Complex gait assessments may aid clinicians in detecting subtle gait impairments in at-risk children.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the impact of gait variability on daily function and sports participation in this population.
Abstract

Keywords:
developmental coordination disorderdual-task paradigmgait variabilitymotor impairmentpreterm birth

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