TY - JOUR
T1 - Lower extremity joint stiffness during walking distinguishes children with and without autism
AU - Eggleston, Jeffrey D.
AU - Harry, John R.
AU - Dufek, Janet S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Elsevier B.V.
PY - 2018/12
Y1 - 2018/12
N2 - How children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and peers with typical development (TD) modulate lower extremity stiffness during walking could identify a mechanism for gait differences between groups. We quantified differences in lower extremity joint stiffness and linear impulses, along the vertical and anterior/posterior axes during over-ground walking in children with ASD compared to age- and gender-matched children with TD. Nine age- and gender-matched pairs of children, aged 5–12 years, completed the current study. Joint stiffness and linear impulses were computed in four sub-phases of stance: loading response, mid-stance, terminal stance, and pre-swing. The Model Statistic technique (α = 0.05) was used to test for statistical significance between the matched-pairs for each variable and sub-phase. Furthermore, dependent t-tests (α = 0.05) were utilized, at the group level, to determine whether significant differences existed between sub-phases. Results indicate that children with ASD may exhibit greater stiffness in pre-swing, and thus, produce inefficient propulsive forces during walking. We attribute these differences to sensory processing dysfunction previously observed in children with ASD.
AB - How children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and peers with typical development (TD) modulate lower extremity stiffness during walking could identify a mechanism for gait differences between groups. We quantified differences in lower extremity joint stiffness and linear impulses, along the vertical and anterior/posterior axes during over-ground walking in children with ASD compared to age- and gender-matched children with TD. Nine age- and gender-matched pairs of children, aged 5–12 years, completed the current study. Joint stiffness and linear impulses were computed in four sub-phases of stance: loading response, mid-stance, terminal stance, and pre-swing. The Model Statistic technique (α = 0.05) was used to test for statistical significance between the matched-pairs for each variable and sub-phase. Furthermore, dependent t-tests (α = 0.05) were utilized, at the group level, to determine whether significant differences existed between sub-phases. Results indicate that children with ASD may exhibit greater stiffness in pre-swing, and thus, produce inefficient propulsive forces during walking. We attribute these differences to sensory processing dysfunction previously observed in children with ASD.
KW - Autism Spectrum Disorder
KW - Joint stiffness
KW - Locomotion
KW - Pediatric
KW - Sensory processing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053063231&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.humov.2018.09.003
DO - 10.1016/j.humov.2018.09.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 30218847
AN - SCOPUS:85053063231
SN - 0167-9457
VL - 62
SP - 25
EP - 33
JO - Human Movement Science
JF - Human Movement Science
ER -