Comparative gait analysis between children with autism and age-matched controls: analysis with temporal-spatial and foot pressure variables

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the gait pattern of children with autism by using a gait analysis system. [Subjects] Thirty children were selected for this study: 15 with autism (age, 11.2 ± 2.8 years; weight, 48.1 ± 14.1 kg; height, 1.51 ± 0.11 m) and 15 healthy age-matched controls (age, 11.0 ± 2.9 years; weight, 43.6 ± 10 kg; height, 1.51 ± 0.011 m). [Methods] All participants walked three times on the GAITRite® system while their plantar pressure was being recorded. [Results] The results showed a reduction in cadence, gait velocity, and step length, and an increase in step width in children with autism. Plantar pressure variables highlight the differences between the active pressure areas, especially in the hindfoot of children with autism. [Conclusion] The results suggest that children with autism have an abnormal gait compared with that of age-matched controls, and thus they need extra attention to correct these abnormal gait patterns.

What’s missing in autism spectrum disorder motor assessments?

“…These children demonstrated increased variability in the time taken to prepare simple point-point movements relative to typically developing controls leading authors to hypothesize that these findings could support differences in visual processing and visual-motor integration [35]. The use of gait analysis systems that utilize foot pressure variables have shown that children with ASD have wider step width, reduced step rate (cadence), and increased variability in step length [36, 37]. These findings have led researchers to conclude that disruptions in cerebellar and fronto-striatal basal ganglia function are the reason for abnormal movement in ASD [37].…”

Beneficial effect of interventional exercise on autistic Fragile X syndrome

“…Sairanen M et al 8 ) reported that ASD is characterized by structural defects that include a reduction in forebrain volume and disruption of the neural network between the limbic system and other cerebral cortex regions. In addition, recent study demonstrated that ASD children presented an abnormal gait compared with that of age-matched controls, they showed a reduction in cadence, gait velocity, step length, and an increase in step width 9 ) . Interestingly, therapeutic physical exercise in patients with ASD increases hippocampal volume and promotes the robust growth of newly proliferated and/or differentiated cells by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cerebral cortex 10 ) .…”

Could Gait Biomechanics Become a Marker of Atypical Neuronal Circuitry in Human Development?—The Example of Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…In 2015, Kindregan et al (2015) , conducted a review on walking biomechanics in children with ASD and concluded to a more unstable gait in patients affected by ASD. Since the publication of the review by Kindregan et al, other studies analyzed gait biomechanics in children with ASD ( Lim et al, 2016 ; Dufek et al, 2017 ; Eggleston et al, 2017 , 2020 ; Hasan et al, 2017 ; Biffi et al, 2018 ; Manicolo et al, 2019 ). The results from these works and from the studies in the review by Kindregan et al are summarized in Figure 1 .…”

“… Gait biomechanics data found in children with ASD, in comparison to control groups, matched for age and gender; (1) Manicolo et al (2019) ; (2) Biffi et al (2018) ; (3) Hasan et al (2017) ; (4) Eggleston et al (2017) ; (5) Dufek et al (2017) ; (6) Lim et al (2016) —CV Coefficient of variation; (7) Eggleston et al (2020) (8) Kindregan et al (2015) —review of 11 studies assessing gait biomechanics in children with ASD. …”