Biomechanical Characteristics of the Typically Developing Toddler Gait: A Narrative Review

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This narrative review clarified the gait biomechanics of typically developing toddlers and revealed the changes of gait characteristics at different age stages till independent walking. The remarkable gait characteristics and developmental nature of toddlers indicate that the gait pattern of the junior independent walkers differs from the senior and experienced cohort. Gait patterns are associated with neuromuscular maturation. Changes in gait biomechanics are age-dependent. Therefore, it is necessary for pediatric clinicians to understand the characteristics and stages of normal or abnormal development. Developmental neuromotor control suggests that early identification and intervention may expedite treatment and optimize outcomes. ABSTRACT: Independent ambulation is one of the most important motor skills in typically developing toddlers. Gait analysis is a key evaluation method in basic and clinical research. A narrative review on the literature of toddler gait development was conducted following inclusion criteria, explicitly including the factors of English article, age range, no external intervention during the experimental process of studies involved, the non-symptomatic toddler, and no pathological gait. Studies about toddlers’ morphological, physiological, and biomechanical aspects at this developmental stage were identified. Remarkable gait characteristics and specific development rules of toddlers at different ages were reported. Changes in gait biomechanics are age and walking experience-dependent. Gait patterns are related to the maturation of the neuro and musculoskeletal systems. This review thus provides critical and theoretical information and the nature of toddler walking development for clinicians and other scientific researchers. Future studies may systematically recruit subjects with more explicit criteria with larger samples for longitudinal studies. A particular design could be conducted to analyze empirically before practical application. Additionally, the influence of external interventions on the development of toddler gait may need consideration for gait development in the toddler cohort.