Relationship between balance abilities and gait characteristics in children with post-traumatic brain injury

Abstract

To quantify the differences in gait variability and balance performance between typically developed (TD) children and children with post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to determine the association between gait variability and functional balance in both groups. Cross-sectional study. Physical therapy department of a paediatric and adolescent rehabilitation hospital. A convenience sample of 24 children post-TBI and 24 TD age and sex matched controls. Not applicable. Step length, step time and base width variability measured with an electronic walkway; timed up and go (TUG) test and functional reach test (FRT) as a functional balance test. Base width and step time variability showed no significant difference between the groups. However, children post-TBI had significantly greater variability in step length in comparison to healthy controls. The functional balance abilities of children post-TBI were significantly limited compared to TD children. A significant linear inverse correlation was found between balance performance and step length variability only among children with a TBI. Ambulatory children post-severe TBI had decreased balance performance, decreased gait speed and increased step length variability as compared to age-matched healthy controls.