Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium.
Gait Posture. 2011 Feb;33(2):179-84. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2010.10.090. Epub 2010 Nov 20.
Previous research has suggested that perceptual-motor difficulties may account for obese children's lower motor competence; however, specific evidence is currently lacking. Therefore, this study examined the effect of altered visual conditions on spatiotemporal and kinematic gait parameters in obese versus normal-weight children. Thirty-two obese and normal-weight children (11.2±1.5 years) walked barefoot on an instrumented walkway at constant self-selected speed during LIGHT and DARK conditions. Three-dimensional motion analysis was performed to calculate spatiotemporal parameters, as well as sagittal trunk segment and lower extremity joint angles at heel-strike and toe-off. Self-selected speed did not significantly differ between groups. In the DARK condition, all participants walked at a significantly slower speed, decreased stride length, and increased stride width. Without normal vision, obese children had a more pronounced increase in relative double support time compared to the normal-weight group, resulting in a significantly greater percentage of the gait cycle spent in stance. Walking in the DARK, both groups showed greater forward tilt of the trunk and restricted hip movement. All participants had increased knee flexion at heel-strike, as well as decreased knee extension and ankle plantarflexion at toe-off in the DARK condition. The removal of normal vision affected obese children's temporal gait pattern to a larger extent than that of normal-weight peers. Results suggest an increased dependency on vision in obese children to control locomotion. Next to the mechanical problem of moving excess mass, a different coupling between perception and action appears to be governing obese children's motor coordination and control.
先前的研究表明，感知运动困难可能是肥胖儿童运动能力较低的原因；然而，目前具体证据仍缺乏。因此，本研究旨在检验改变视觉条件对肥胖儿童和正常体重儿童时空和运动学步态参数的影响。32 名肥胖儿童和正常体重儿童（11.2±1.5 岁）在 LIGHT 和 DARK 两种条件下赤脚在仪器化步道上以自身选择的速度恒速行走。进行三维运动分析以计算时空参数，以及跟腱和足趾离地时矢状躯干段和下肢关节角度。组间自身选择的速度无显著差异。在 DARK 条件下，所有参与者的行走速度显著减慢，步长减小，步幅增加。在没有正常视觉的情况下，肥胖儿童的相对双支撑时间增加更为明显，与正常体重组相比，支撑相时间的百分比显著增加。在 DARK 条件下，两组的躯干前倾角度都增大，髋关节活动受限。所有参与者在 DARK 条件下的足跟离地时膝关节屈曲增加，而足趾离地时膝关节伸展和踝关节跖屈减少。正常视觉的丧失对肥胖儿童的时间步态模式影响大于正常体重儿童。结果表明，肥胖儿童在控制运动方面对视觉的依赖程度更大。除了移动过多质量的机械问题外，感知与动作之间的不同耦合似乎控制着肥胖儿童的运动协调和控制。
