Abstract
Objective
This cross-sectional observational study aimed to assess gait performance, its correlation
with physical functions, and its dual-task costs in children with Down syndrome (DS),
to investigate their gait adaptations.
Methods
Gait performance with or without movie-watching tasks was evaluated in 17 children
with DS (age, 6–12 years) and 51 age- and sex-matched controls, using three-dimensional
gait analysis. We compared participants’ demographics, physical functions, and gait
performance without tasks between the two groups. In the DS group, correlations between
physical functions, the intelligence quotient, and gait variables were assessed. Dual-task
costs for gait variables were also compared between the two groups.
Results
Children with DS showed poorer balance function and muscle strength and lower gait
quality than the control group. In the DS group, there was a significant positive
correlation between gait speed, step length, and intelligence quotient. There were
no correlations between the balance function, muscle strength, intelligence quotient,
and gait quality. Dual-task costs for gait speed, step length, and cadence were greater
in the DS group; however, there was no significant difference in dual-task costs for
gait quality between the two groups.
Conclusion
These findings highlight the importance of providing appropriate interventions for
motor functions in school-aged children with DS based on their gait performance in
single- and dual-task conditions, as well as on their intelligence quotient.
Keywords
Abbreviations:
DS (Down syndrome), FTSST (Five times sit-to-stand test), GDI (Gait deviation index), IQ (Intelligence quotient), SLST (Single-leg standing time), 3DGA (Three-dimensional gait analysis)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 21, 2022
Accepted:
November 6,
2022
Received in revised form:
October 31,
2022
Received:
September 26,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. All rights reserved.
