Reference Values of Spatial and Temporal Gait Parameters in a Contemporary Sample of Spanish Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Study
Pedro Ángel Latorre-Román,
Juan Antonio Párraga-Montilla,
Alejandro Robles-Fuentes,
Luis Enrique Roche-Seruendo,
Manuel Lucena-Zurita,
Marcos Muñoz-Jiménez,
Daniel Manjón-Pozas,
Jesús Salas-Sánchez,
Filipe Almeida da Conceição,
Pedro José Consuegra González
Affiliations
Pedro Ángel Latorre-Román
Department of Didactic of Music, Plastic and Body Expression, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaen, Spain
Juan Antonio Párraga-Montilla
Department of Didactic of Music, Plastic and Body Expression, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaen, Spain
Alejandro Robles-Fuentes
Ayuntamiento de Santiago Pontones, 23091 Jaen, Spain
Luis Enrique Roche-Seruendo
Faculty of Health Sciences, Campus Universitario, Universidad San Jorge, 50830 Zaragoza, Spain
Manuel Lucena-Zurita
Department of Didactic of Music, Plastic and Body Expression, University of Sagrada Familia de Úbeda, Úbeda, 23400 Jaen, Spain
Marcos Muñoz-Jiménez
Ayuntamiento de Jaén, 23071 Jaen, Spain
Daniel Manjón-Pozas
Department of Didactic of Music, Plastic and Body Expression, University of Sagrada Familia de Úbeda, Úbeda, 23400 Jaen, Spain
Jesús Salas-Sánchez
Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 7500912, Chile
Filipe Almeida da Conceição
4 LABIOMEP-Porto Biomechanics Laboratory, Centre of Research, Education, Innovation and Intervention in Sport, Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
Pedro José Consuegra González
Department of Didactic of Music, Plastic and Body Expression, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaen, Spain
The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of age and sex on kinematic gait parameters in preschool children, and derive reference values for this population. A total of 383 preschool children (age 3–5 years; 207 girls, 176 boys) participated in this study. We used the OptoGait system to assess the kinematics of gait at a comfortable and self-determined speed. No significant differences between the sexes were found for the main gait parameters. Among the participants, there was a significant increase in double support, reductions in absolute cadence and the coefficient of variation (CV) of cadence, an increase in absolute step length (SL), and an increase in the walk ratio (WR) from 3 to 5 years of age. However, the normalized SL and normalized WR displayed a significant reduction in both sexes. Partial correlation indicated a significant association of age with SL and normalized SL, and WR. Additionally, WR showed a significant correlation with the CV of cadence. To summarize, no relevant differences in gait performance were found according to sex; however, age was found to influence gait maturation. The normative values established for Spanish preschool children can be used to monitor healthy gait development.
