Development of Locomotion

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Development of Locomotion

• Maggie Mahoney
• Heather McDonald
• Human Locomotion BE 522
• May 2, 2002

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Locomotion

• Distinct human characteristic
• Ability to move from place to place
• Essential part of daily living
• Dependent on nervous and musculoskeletal systems

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Developmental Stages

• Infant Stepping
• Inhibition
• Transition
• Deliberate Stepping
• Independent Stepping
• Heel-toe
• Integrated stepping

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Infant Stepping

• Onset neonatal period- 2 months
• Alternating flexion and extension of legs when
  held
• Significance- Unclear???

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Inhibition

• Onset 2-3 months
• Evidence of CNS inhibition
• Essential for normal motor development

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Transition

• Onset 6-12 months
• Pre-locomotor patterns
• Bottom scooting
• Creeping
• Crawling
• Tip-toeing
• Kicking

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Deliberate Stepping

• Onset 7-12 months
• Voluntary steps when supported
• Slow walking speed
• High stepping- excessive flexion at hips
• Flat foot stepping

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Independent Stepping

• Onset 12 months
• Characterized by
• Short steps
• Uneven steps
• Wide base of support
• High guard
• Many falls
• Toddler walking

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Heel-Toe

• Onset 2 years
• Development of heel strike

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Integrated Walking

• Onset 3-4 years
• Incorporation of mature walking features

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Mature Gait

• Onset 4 years
• 5 major features
• Duration of single limb stance
• Walking Velocity
• Cadence
• Step Length
• Base of support

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Duration of Single Limb Stance

• Due to strength of musculoskeletal system and
  development of CNS
• Toddler Gait 32 of gait cycle
• Mature Gait 38 of gait cycle

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Walking Velocity

• Speed of walking will increase
• Supported walking 23.4m/min
• Newly independent walking 38m/min

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Decrease in Cadence

• Increased stability and coordination
• Slower cadences
• Shorter swing times

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Increase in Step Length

• Increased leg length
• Increase in speed, even as cadence decreases

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Base of Support

• Toddlers have wide base of support
• Will decrease with maturing age
• Little change after 3.5 years
• Comes about will improve balance and stability
  (CNS)

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Dynamical Systems Theory

• Locomotion emerges as the CNS matures but also
  from the effects of multiple maturing systems.
• New experiences are mapped to motor and sensory
  systems.

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Assumptions

• Systems are cooperative
• Systems are self organizing
• Systems develop asynchronously and nonlinearly
• Shifts in behavioral modes are discontinuous

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Normal Motor Milestones
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Screening for Development Disorders

• Bruinks-Oseretsky Test
• Evaluates children 5-15 years old
• Looks at various tasks
• Standing on preferred leg on floor
• Standing on preferred leg on balance beam
• Standing on preferred leg on balance beam with
  eyes closed

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Screening for Development Disorders continued
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Screening for Development Disorders continued

• Functional Reach

• Published Norms
• Men (inches)
• 29-40 yrs 16.7
• 42-69 yrs 14.9
• 70-87 yrs 13.2
• Women (inches)
• 29-40 yrs 14.6
• 41-69 yrs 13.8
• 40-87 yrs 10.5

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Screening for Development Disorders continued

• Functional Balance Scale
• 14 various tasks
• Standing heel-to-toe
• Reach distance
• Bending over to pick up something
• Scale 0-4 maximum test score of 56 points
• Scores
• gt 45 Patient less likely to fall
• gt 37 Subject safe to walk with use of assistive
  device
• lt 36 Subject has 100 risk of falling

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Screening for Development Disorders continued

• Fear of Falling Test
• Evaluates persons fear of a situation based on
  series of questions
• Example How afraid are you of falling down the
  stairs, on a scale of 10 to 100.

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Temporal Spatial Parameters
Average Values Cadence- 120 steps per
minute Walking Speed- 1.5m/s Stride length- 1.5m
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Development of a kinematic coordination pattern
in toddler locomotion

• Cheron, Boulillot, Dan conducted a study to
  evaluate locomotion patterns of toddlers and look
  for the presence of planar covariation

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A, B Sagittal stick diagrams at two stages of
early walking. A Very first three steps of an
11-month-old toddler. B Two steps of the same
child aged 20 months.
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Planar Covariation

• The condition when the elevation angles of the
  thigh, shank, and foot vary together in a
  particular pattern
• Children exhibit a presence of covariation
  approximately 3 weeks after they take their first
  steps

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Conclusion

• There are multiple stages in the development of
  locomotion in children.
• Growth and development in children play a major
  influence in their progressive characteristics of
  locomotion.

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THANKS!!

• No questions necessary