Gait difference between children aged 9 to 12 with and without potential depressive mood.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that depression has an impact on both temporal spatial parameters and walking kinematics in adults. Given the difference in the walking biomechanics between adults and children, this study aimed to compare the gait difference in children aged 9-12 with and without potential depressive mood (PDM). METHODS: 49 children were recruited from local primary schools. We measured participants' depression level using Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) and classified them into control (i.e., DASS depression subscale score = 0.6 ± 1.4; n = 23) or PDM group (i.e., DASS depression subscale score = 21.3 ± 5.3; n = 26). Video gait analysis was employed to assess temporal spatial parameters and sagittal plane kinematics during self-paced overground walking. Independent t tests or Mann-Whitney tests were used to compare the gait parameters between the two groups. RESULTS: Participants exhibited similar gait speed, vertical oscillation of the centre of mass, stance time, swing time, step length, upper and lower limb kinematics between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, children with PDM displayed a greater head flexion than controls (p = 0.026; Cohen's d = 0.66; moderate effect). SIGNIFICANCE: Children with PDM may present a more slumped posture during walking when compared with their counterparts. This kinematics difference can potentially be used as a biomechanical marker for detection of mood problems in this cohort.

Bilateral asymmetry of running gait in competitive, recreational and novice runners at different speeds.

The mechanisms and underlying causes of bilateral asymmetry among healthy runners of different levels remain unclear. This cross-sectional laboratory study aimed to investigate the effects of running speed and running experience or competitive level on bilateral symmetry during running. Eleven competitive runners, 9 recreational runners and 11 novice runners were recruited in this study. They ran on an instrumented treadmill for 3 min at each of 5 fixed speeds (8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 km/h) in a randomized order. Bilateral asymmetry was evaluated and quantified using symmetry index (SI) of temporal and kinetic parameters. Overall, SI ranged between 0.8% for stride time and 21.4% for vertical average loading rate. Significant speed effects were observed on SI of flight time (p = .012), which was significantly higher at 8 km/h than that of the other 4 speeds (p = .023, 0.005, 0.023 and 0.028, respectively). Group-by-speed interactions were detected on SI in time to peak vertical ground reaction force (p = .032) and vertical average loading rate (p = .002). The competitive runners presented linear reduction in the SI with increasing speed from 8 to 12 km/h (R2 > 0.94); for the recreational runners, SI changed nonlinearly and presented a roughly U-shaped trend across speeds (R2 > 0.88); and for the novice runners, changes of SI across speed were inconsistent and dependent on parameters of interest (R2 > 0.64). Bilateral asymmetry was affected by both running speed and runners' running experience or competitive level. The competitive runners were found to run with a more symmetrical manner with a greater running speed, the recreational runners demonstrated the most symmetrical pattern at the critical speed, whereas the novice runners showed inconsistent trends.

Testing Pediatric Acuity With an iPad: Validation of "Peekaboo Vision" in Malawi and the UK.

PURPOSE: To evaluate two builds of the digital grating acuity test, "Peekaboo Vision" (PV), in young (6-60 months) populations in two hospital settings (Malawi and United Kingdom). METHODS: Study 1 evaluated PV in Blantyre, Malawi (N = 58, mean age 33 months); study 2 evaluated an updated build in Glasgow, United Kingdom (N = 60, mean age 44 months). Acuities were tested-retested with PV and Keeler Acuity Cards for Infants (KACI). Bland-Altman techniques were used to compare results and repeatability. Child engagement was compared between groups. Study 2 included test-time comparison. RESULTS: Study 1 (Malawi): The mean difference between PV and KACI was 0.02 logMAR with 95% limits of agreement (LoA) of 0.33 to 0.37 LogMAR. On test-retest, PV demonstrated 95% LoA of -0.283 to 0.198 logMAR with coefficient of repeatability (CR) 0.27. KACI demonstrated 95% LoA of -0.427 to 0.323 logMAR, and larger CR was 0.37. PV evidenced higher engagement scores than KACI (P = 0.0005). Study 2 (UK): The mean difference between PV and KACI was 0.01 logMAR; 95% LoA was -0.413 to 0.437 logMAR. Again, on test-retest, PV had narrower LoA (-0.344 to 0.320 logMAR) and lower CR (0.32) versus KACI, with LoA -0.432 to 0.407 logMAR, CR 0.42. The two tests did not differ in engagement score (P = 0.5). Test time was ∼1 minute shorter for PV (185 vs. 251 s, P = 0.0021). CONCLUSIONS: PV gives comparable results to KACI in two pediatric populations in two settings, with benefits in repeatability indices and test duration. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Leveraging tablet technology extends reliable infant acuity testing to bedside, home, and rural settings, including areas where traditional equipment cannot be financed.