Effect of instability of the surface in the stride length and angle of the arm of babies during the gait acquisition

Abstract

The acquisition of independent gait was analyzed using a longitudinal study examining the effect of instability of the surface in stride length and angle of the arm of eleven babies, with mean age of 12.09 ± 0.42 months. The babies were followed for 4 months with biweekly assessments. The gait was conducted on two independent surface conditions - rigid and deforming. The stride length and angle of the arm were analyzed by Kinematics, using the program APAS. The results showed a significant effect on the factors "collections" and "surface" in stride length and significant effect on the factor "collections" in the arm angle, indicating changes in the behavior of the gait in two variables. The data indicate a developmental change incurred during the acquisition of independent gait and suggests that these changes precede the selection of a pattern or a strategy best suited to the demands of the environment.