Transitioning from the level surface to stairs in children with and without Down syndrome: Motor strategy and anticipatory locomotor adjustments

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic condition which affects about 1 out of 700 newborn infants [1]. Individuals with DS are characterized by muscle hypotonia, ligament laxity, hip and knee joint instability, poor postural control, and altered movement patterns [2,3]. Children with DS show delayed development of motor skills; for example, they usually start walking at two years of age, which is one year later than children with typical development (TD) [2,4]. Individuals with DS often walk slower with shorter but wider steps and greater foot progression angles [2,5] and show a reduced range-of-motion of the hip, knee and ankle joints [6,7].
Source: Gait and Posture - Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Tags: Full length article Source Type: research