GAIT ANALYSIS DURING TREADMILL AND OVERGROUND LOCOMOTION IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Gait analysis on the treadmill and in the overground condition is used both in scientific approaches for investigating the neuronal organisa tion and ontogenetic development of locomotion and in a variety of cli nical applications. We investigated the differences between overground and treadmill locomotion (at identical gait velocity) in 12 adults an d 14 children (6-7 years old). During treadmill locomotion the step fr equency increased by 7% in adults and 10% in children compared to over ground walking, whereas the stride length and the stance phase of the walking cycle decreased. The swing phase, however, increased significa ntly by 5% in adults and remained unchanged in children. Balance-relat ed gait parameters such as the step width and foot rotation angles inc reased during treadmill locomotion. The reduction of the step length w as found to be stable after 10 min of treadmill walking in most subjec ts. With regard to the shifted phases of the walking cycle and the cha nged balance related gait parameters in the treadmill condition, we as sume a different modulation of the central pattern generator in treadm ill walking, due to a changed afferent input. Regarding the pronounced differences between overground and treadmill walking in children, it is discussed whether the systems generating and integrating different modulations of locomotion into a stable movement pattern have reached full capacity in 6-7 year old children. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Irel and Ltd.