Gait Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence

This book is intended for neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, pediatricians, physiatrists, physical therapists, and others who want to acquire a better understanding of normal and abnormal gait patterns in children and adolescents. In the first chapter, the author describes in detail the instrumentation protocol and the data analysis system used in the Motion Analysis Laboratory, Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego. In the second chapter, normal gait and the changes that occur with age are described. The data base for agerelated parameters are derived from gait studies of 464 normal children between the ages of 1 and 7; and 15 adults between 19 and 40 years of age. The next ten chapters are devoted to case reports of orthopedic and neurologic problems with gait studies before and after intervention providing objective data regarding the efficacy of procedures such as physical therapy, orthopedic surgery, orthotic devices, or a combination of these.