ABSTRACT

Purpose: To compare muscle strength, ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM), motor coordination and balance, between children with and without Idiopathic Toe Walking (ITW).

Materials and methods: This is an observational case-control study. The primary outcome is the triceps surae muscle strength. The secondary outcomes are the anterior tibialis muscle strength, lower limb balance, motor coordination, and ankle dorsiflexion ROM. Thirty-eight children were recruited: 19 between 5 to 11 years old with ITW and 19 healthy (control). Ankle dorsiflexion ROM, triceps surae, anterior tibialis muscle strength, motor coordination, and balance were assessed.

Results: Children with ITW showed reduced triceps surae strength [mean difference (MD): 16.2 kgf/kg*100; 95% confidence interval (CI) −32.72 to 0.28; p = .05], reduced anterior tibialis strength (MD: 8.5 kgf/kg*100; 95% CI −13.35 to −3.05; p ≤ 0.001), reduced ankle dorsiflexion ROM (MD: 19.6 degrees; 95% CI 15.43 to 23.77; p ≤ 0.001) and impaired motor coordination and balance (MD: 17.7; 95% CI −25.54 to −9.82; p ≤ 0.001) compared to healthy children.

Conclusion: Children with Idiopathic Toe Walking, presented in this study, demonstrated triceps surae and anterior tibialis muscle strength reduction, ankle dorsiflexion ROM reduction, impaired motor coordination, and balance compared to healthy children.

摘要

目的：比较有和没有特发性脚趾行走 (ITW) 的儿童的肌肉力量、踝关节背屈运动范围 (ROM)、运动协调和平衡。

材料和方法：这是一项观察性病例对照研究。主要结果是小腿三头肌力量。次要结果是胫骨前肌力量、下肢平衡、运动协调性和踝关节背屈 ROM。招募了 38 名儿童：19 名 5 至 11 岁的 ITW 和 19 名健康（对照）。评估了踝关节背屈 ROM、小腿三头肌、胫前肌力量、运动协调性和平衡性。

结果：患有 ITW 的儿童显示小腿三头肌力量降低 [平均差 (MD)：16.2 kgf/kg*100；95% 置信区间 (CI) -32.72 至 0.28；p  = .05]，胫骨前肌强度降低（MD：8.5 kgf/kg*100；95% CI -13.35 至 -3.05；p ≤ 0.001），踝背屈 ROM 降低（MD：19.6 度；95% CI 15.43 至 23.7） ; p ≤ 0.001) 和运动协调和平衡受损（MD：17.7；95% CI -25.54 至 -9.82；p ≤ 0.001）与健康儿童相比。

结论：与健康儿童相比，本研究中出现的特发性足趾行走儿童表现出小腿三头肌和胫前肌力量减少、踝关节背屈 ROM 减少、运动协调受损和平衡。