Dr. Sang-hyun Cho MD, PhD

3D Gait Analysis Characteristics of the Gait Maturation Process in Normal Korean Children

Object

Method

Results

1. The initial heel contact, early stance phase knee flexion and reciprocal arm swing were determined before the age of 3.5y.
2. Pelvic motion in transverse plane, hip joint motion in all three planes, knee joint motion in coronal plane, and ankle joint motion in transverse plane were all larger than those of Caucasian children (Sutherland et. al.)
3. Single stance period was shorter than that of Caucasian children.
4. Internal rotation of the hip joint and varus motion of the knee joint was larger than those of Caucasian children.

Age group               No. of cases                    Actual age(months)
(months)                Male    Female  Total           mean    s.d.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 (12~23)               4       4                 8               21.0    2.3
2 (24~35)               5       2                 7               29.6    3.9
3 (36~47)               13      9              22              41.8    3.9
4 (48~59)               12      8              20              53.7    3.6
5 (60~71)               4       6               10              65.1    3.4
6 (72~83)               1       4                 5               74.2    2.9
Total                      39      33             72
 

Table 2. Height & Actual Leg Length

Age group       Height(cm)  Actual leg length(cm)
                mean    s.d.            mean    s.d.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1               82.4    2.8             36.0    1.2
2               93.1    5.6             42.3    3.7
3               100.2   3.7             46.5    2.1
4               104.7   3.1             49.8    2.3
5               109.8   3.8             52.9    2.6
6               116.8   3.6             57.4    2.8
adult           164.8   8.6             83.0    5.1
 

Table 5. Speed & Single Support Period

                Speed (m/sec)                   Single support (%)
Age group (n)   mean    s.d.    p*              mean    s.d.    p*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 (16)          0.86    0.24    0.00            33.1    3.1     0.00
2 (14)          0.83    0.12    0.00            33.9    2.2     0.00
3 (44)          0.89    0.13    0.00            33.7    2.1     0.00
4 (40)          0.97    0.17    0.00            34.6    2.6     0.00
5 (20)          0.91    0.12    0.00            35.2    2.3     0.00
6 (10)          1.07    0.15    0.00            35.2    2.7     0.00
adult (82)      1.19    0.13                    38.9    2.4

n: number of legs (number of case x 2)
p*: from Student's t-test against the adult group 

Conclusion

1. Development of muscles stabilizing the large leg joints during gait seems slower than in Caucasian children.
2. Maturation of body weight supporting ability on one leg seemed slower than Caucasian children.
3. The motion of internal rotation of the hip joint and varus of the knee joint were larger than Caucasian children.
4. These differences may arise from anthropometrical characteristics of Korean and Caucasian growing children.   Also, the different angle definition systems between Korean and Caucasian data might be responsible for aretfacts.