Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Av Senador Salgado Filho, 3000 Post Office Box 1524, Zip Code 59072-970, Brazil.
Res Dev Disabil. 2013 Jul;34(7):2185-90. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2013.02.014. Epub 2013 Apr 30.
The goal of this study was to analyze the effects of upward treadmill inclination on the gait of children with Down syndrome (DS). Sixteen children with a mean age 8.43 ± 2.25 years, classified at level I of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and able to walk without personal assistance and/or assistive devices/orthosis were evaluated. Spatial-temporal variables were observed as well as the angular variation of hip, knee and ankle in the sagittal plane, while children walked on the treadmill carried out on 0% and 10% upward inclination. The results showed that children with DS presented changes in spatio-temporal variables (reduced cadence and increased cycle time and swing time) and in angular variables (increased hip, knee and ankle angles at initial contact; increased maximum hip flexion and maximum stance dorsiflexion; and reduced plantarflexion at pre-swing). Treadmill inclination seemed to act positively on the angular and spatio-temporal characteristics of gait in children with DS, demonstrating a possible benefit from the use of this type of surface in the gait rehabilitation of this population.
本研究的目的在于分析跑步机倾斜向上对唐氏综合征（Down syndrome，DS）儿童步态的影响。共评估了 16 名平均年龄为 8.43 ± 2.25 岁的儿童，他们均处于粗大运动功能分级系统（Gross Motor Function Classification System，GMFCS）的 I 级，能够独立行走，无需个人辅助和/或辅助器具/矫形器。评估中观察了空间时间变量，以及在矢状面中髋关节、膝关节和踝关节的角度变化，同时儿童在 0%和 10%向上倾斜的跑步机上行走。结果显示，DS 儿童的时空变量（步频降低，单步周期和摆动时间增加）和角度变量（初始接触时髋关节、膝关节和踝关节角度增加；髋关节最大屈曲和最大站立背屈增加；摆动前期跖屈减少）发生变化。跑步机倾斜似乎对 DS 儿童的步态角度和时空特征产生积极影响，表明这种类型的表面在该人群的步态康复中可能具有一定益处。
