Abstract
Knowledge about the developmental process of dynamic balance control comprised of upper arms and upper legs coordination and trunk and pelvis twist coordination is important to advance effective balance assessment for abnormal development. However, the mechanisms of these coordination and stability control during gait in childhood are unknown.This study examined the development of dynamic postural stability, upper arm and upper leg coordination, and trunk and pelvic twist coordination during gait, and investigated the potential mechanisms integrating the central nervous system with inter-limb coordination and trunk and pelvic twist coordination to control extrapolated center of the body mass (XCOM). This study included 77 healthy children aged 3–10 years and 15 young adults. The child cohort was divided into four groups by age: 3–4, 5–6, 7–8, and 9–10 years. Participants walked barefoot at a self-selected walking speed along an 8 m walkway. A three-dimensional motion capture system was used for calculating the XCOM, the spatial margin of stability (MoS), and phase coupling movements of the upper arms, upper legs, trunk, and pelvic segments. MoS in the mediolateral axis was significantly higher in the young adults than in all children groups. Contralateral coordination (ipsilateral upper arm and contralateral upper leg combination) gradually changed to an in-phase pattern with increasing age until age 9 years. Significant correlations of XCOMML with contralateral coordination and with trunk and pelvic twist coordination (trunk/pelvis coordination) were found. Significant correlations between contralateral coordination and trunk/pelvis coordination were observed only in the 5–6 years and at 7–8 years groups.Dynamic postural stability during gait was not fully mature at age 10. XCOM control is associated with the development of contralateral coordination and trunk and pelvic twist coordination. The closer to in-phase pattern of contralateral upper limb coordination improved the XCOM fluctuations. Conversely, the out-of-phase pattern (about 90 degrees) of the trunk/pelvis coordination increased theXCOM fluctuation. Additionally, a different control strategy was used among children 3–8 years of age and individuals over 9 years of age, which suggests that 3–4-year-old children showed a disorderly coordination strategy between limb swing and torso movement, and in children 5–8 years of age, limb swing depended on trunk/pelvis coordination.
Highlights
Knowledge of the development process in motor and postural control during gait is a prerequisite for assessing abnormal and pathological development (Sutherland, 1997)
We aimed to investigate the development of dynamic balance control with inter-limb coordination and trunk and pelvic twist coordination during gait and the potential mechanisms integrating the central nervous system (CNS) with inter-limb coordination and trunk and pelvic twist coordination to control dynamic balance control
No significant between-group differences were found in the upper arm and the upper leg angular movements over a gait cycle (F4, 88 = 0.804, p = 0.526 and F4, 88 = 1.824, p = 0.131, respectively; Table 3), significant differences in the trunk and the pelvic angular movements were found between the groups (F4, 88 = 3.593, p = 0.009 and F4, 88 = 3.817, p = 0.007, respectively)
Summary
Knowledge of the development process in motor and postural control during gait is a prerequisite for assessing abnormal and pathological development (Sutherland, 1997). Step time-distance parameters (step length, step frequency, walking velocity, and step time) increase with age, whereas cadence is reduced with age (Lythgo et al, 2011; Froehle et al, 2013; Thevenon et al, 2015) These normalized parameters change until approximately 4 years of age (Sutherland, 1997). XCOM is defined as the projection on the ground from the COM augmented by a quantity proportional to its velocity (Hof et al, 2005) It suggests that the development of the dynamic balance control takes longer to mature compared to that of isolated kinematic and kinetic patterns
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
