| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 物理治療學研究所 === 89 === Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the age of walking attainment, to examine the development of leg movement and to explore possible influencing factors of walking attainment in low-risk preterm infants and normal full-term infants. The subjects consisted of 10 low-risk preterm infants and 18 normal full-term infants who were born at National Taiwan University Hospital. Infants were prospectively followed at a two-month interval from 7 months of corrected age to walking attainment or until 17 months of corrected age. The assessments consisted of kinematic analysis of supported treadmill stepping movement, growth and anthropometric measures, skinfold measures, the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS), and the cognitive subscale of the Chinese Children Development Inventory (CCDI). The results showed comparable age of walking attainment among the preterm and term infants. Regarding the test results of 7 and 9 months, the preterm infants showed a higher frequency in alternate stepping and a shorter stance phase than the term infants. With increasing age, all infants exhibited an increasing number of alternate stepping, an increasing hip flexion and an increasing knee flexion Euler angle. With increasing treadmill speed, all infants showed an increasing number of alternate stepping, a decreasing stride cycle duration, stance and swing phase, a decreasing ankle plantarflexion and an increasing temporal symmetry of both legs. In addition, the groups were comparable in growth, skinfold, the AIMS score, and the cognitive scores in follow-up period. With increasing age, all infants showed an increase in growth, skinfold, the AIMS score, and the cognitive score. Furthermore, the AIMS standing scores at 7 and 9 months, and the stride cycle duration were found to significantly correlate with walking attainment.
Comparison of the test results of the last and the second last trial prior to walking attainment showed no group and trial differences in all kinematic variables of treadmill stepping movement. With increasing treadmill speed, all infants demonstrated an increasing number of alternate stepping, a decreasing stride cycle duration, stance and swing phase, and a decreasing ankle plantarflexion. In addition, the groups were comparable in growth, anthropometry, skinfold, the AIMS score, and the cognitive scores in follow-up period. Yet, all infants showed an increase in all these measures with increasing age. Furthermore, the difference of the AIMS standing scores and the difference of hip angle at foot strike between the last and the second last trials were found to significantly correlate with walking attainment.
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