Biomechanical parameters during shod walking.

Walking patterns can differ between children and adults, both kinematically and kinetically. However, the detailed nature of the ankle pattern has not been clarified. We investigated musculature, biomechanics, and muscle activation strategies and their relevance to walking performance in preschool (PS) and school children (SC), with adults (AD) as reference. Twenty-six PS (3–5 yr), 20 SC (6–8 yr), and 17 AD (18–30 yr) participated. Tibialis anterior (TA) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) thicknesses, fascicle lengths, and maximal voluntary dorsi- and plantar flexion isometric torques were measured. Hip, knee, and ankle kinematics, ground reaction forces (GRFs), and TA and MG electromyographic activities were recorded during shod walking at each participant’s preferred speed. Walking speed, step length, and cadence were correlated with age in PS. These walking performance measures were also correlated with muscle thickness and fascicle length, showing higher speed in individuals with thicker muscles and longer TA and MG fascicles (conversely, higher cadence with thinner muscles and shorter fascicles). AD demonstrated the largest values for muscle thickness (pppp = 0.004; step length pp