BIOMECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN OF 3–6 YEARS OLD WITHOUT MOVEMENT DISORDERS

Abstract

Purpose of the study — to form normative guidelines for the values of kinetic and kinematic parameters of gait in children aged 3–6 years without motor disorders. Materials and methods. Using video analysis to determine the normative range of the values of locomotor characteristics, the gait profile (Gait profile Score — GPS) was assessed in children aged 3–6 years (n=16) without movement disorders in the laboratory of biomechanics of the Ilizarov Centre. Kinematic parameters were recorded with Qualisys 7+ optical cameras (n=8), kinetic parameters were recorded using Kistler dynamometric platforms (n=6). The examination consisted of two tests: 1 — independent walking with the usual speed of movement on a 7-m track; 2 — carried out on the background of comfortable for the child accompaniment by an adult for 1 hand. Analysis of results was carried out by automated calculations of kinematics and kinetics values using descriptive statistics. The assessment of the normality of the distribution of the studied parameters was performed according to 12 univariate criteria. Results. It has been established that the main characteristics of locomotor activity in age-homogeneous groups of children aged 3–6 years obey the normal distribution function and, therefore, the normative range of functioning values can be determined by the rule of sigma deviations. The article presents selective values of kinematic and kinetic parameters of gait in children aged 3–6 years without movement disorders recommended as normative guidelines. Conclusions. For children 3–4 years old, examination conditions are acceptable both independently and with support by the hand. For children aged 5–6 years, the examination should include only independent walking, walking with support by the hand distorts the structure of the locomotor stereotype of the accompanying person, and therefore such a gait should be regarded as unnatural