Using a self-made footswitch and Selspot II we have studied time factors of a gait cycle of normal childhood gait for several years. As the result of the footswitch study we showed that the percent of stance and swing phases in a gait cycle were constant irrespective of age. In the present study, we assessed time factors of a gait cycle by means of the footswitch and Selspot II separately in the same 48 normal boys aging from 2 to 12 years that were studied in the previous study, and compared both data statistically.
An accurate heel strike manifested by the footswitch followed the maximal extension of the knee on an average of 25.83±16.95 msec.
An accurate toe off demonstrated by the footswitch came prior to the maximal plantar extenion on an average of 11.37±10.62 msec.
These temporal “deviations” significantly correlated with ratios of stance, swing, and bisupport phases observed by both methods. There were no significant correlations between the two deviations and ages, and between deviations each other.
Here we assumed on account of analysing time factors by the Selspot II that the maximal extension of the knee corresponded to heel strike, and the maximal plantar extension of the ankle corresponded to toe off.
As a result, close correlations were observed between footswitch and Selspot II in terms of time factors of a gait cycle (e. g. stride time, stride length, stance time, swing time, and cadence), though convergent relations were seen in stance and swing ratios.
On the basis of the present analytical data we concluded that in a circumstance where extreme preciseness is not required the Selspot II can be employed to study time factors of a walking cycle without help of a footswitch by indicating the maximal extension of the knee joint to be heel strike, and the maximal plantar extension of the ankle joint to be toe off.
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