Differing Gait Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Narrative Review

Research Objectives: To undertake a narrative review of different gait patterns among children with Autism, and the question of the accessibility causes for the gait impairments in autism spectrum disorder.

Design: Narrative Review

Setting: Institutional Practice

Participants: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions: none

Main Outcome Measures: Medline, CINAHL, ISI, and IBSS database keyword queries. manual searches of other relevant publications and primary paper references.

Results: Eleven articles were included out of 17 articles. The children's joint mechanics varied from one another. Younger toddlers showed more knee extension and foot dorsiflexion during heel strike. When compared to children of similar ages and walking rates who were considered to be typical development, the dorsiflexion angle was significantly higher. Understanding how plantar loading strategy and balance control behave while walking, sprinting, and pivoting may have therapeutic repercussions for the recovery and training of everyday chores.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that The higher ankle dorsiflexion angle in the ASD group may be related to the increased ankle rigidity seen during the loading reaction. Increased ankle plantarflexion may be necessary to achieve the flat foot posture on the ground required during the loading period due to the higher ankle dorsiflexion angle at heel-strike. The dorsiflexion muscles may need to engage more eccentrically as a result of the increased plantarflexion motion in order to slow the foot gradually and avoid foot slapping.Future research should look into how sensations are perceived and how that affects the gait.

Author(s) Disclosures: No conflict of interest