SPATIOTEMPORAL GAIT PARAMETERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICES OF 2–3 YEARS CHILDREN IN KUMASI, GHANA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Spatiotemporal gait parameters provide objective markers of locomotor development, and their association with anthropometric indices in children aged 2–3 years may offer critical insights into growth and motor maturation.
Objective: To establish the correlation between spatiotemporal gait parameters and anthropometric characteristics of 2–3 years in Kumasi, Ghana.
Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed. Thirty-two healthy children (19 girls,13 boys) were recruited from four pre-primary schools in Kumasi, Ashanti region of Ghana. The primary outcomes were spatiotemporal data (step length, stride length, step width, cadence, & gait speed) and their associations with anthropometric indices (height, weight, body mass index, & waist to hip ratio).
Results: Waist-to-hip was negatively correlated with step length (r = -0.43, P < 0.05) and stride length (r = -0.35, P < 0.05). Stride length was significantly correlated with step length (r = 0.82, P < 0.01). Gait speed showed positive associations with both step width (r = 0.38, P < 0.05) and cadence (r = 0.62, P < 0.01). No significant sex differences were observed.
Conclusions: Body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio correlate with the step length, stride length, step width, cadence, and gait speed of the children in this study. Since the waist-to-hip ratio showed significant negative correlations with step and stride length, while gait speed correlates positively with cadence and step width, clinical interventions should emphasise weight and central adiposity management in early childhood to promote more efficient gait development and prevent long-term locomotor limitations.