Gait performance of adults with Down Syndrome

The purposes of this study were (1) to determine temporal distance (TD) gait measures and the Functional A m b u l a t i o n Performance Scores (FAPS) of adults with Down syndrome, (2) to determine the reliability of TD gait measures and FAPS of adults with Down syndrome and(3) to compare gait measures of adults with Down syndrome (DSA group), and adults without developmental disability (NDDAgroup). The FAPS is a quantitative representation of gait performance derived from TD gait measures. Forty-one people participated in the study: 21 (9 males, 12 females) in the DSAgroup (mean age 41 years); and 20 (9 males, 11 females) in the NDDA group (mean age 40 years). All participants were in good health and were community ambulators. TD gait measures and FAPS were obtained with a 4.57-m sensor-embedded walk mat connected to a computerized analysis system (Gait Analysis Measuring System CMS-HS from Zebris Medical GmbH, Germany). Reliability was assessed by the ICC(2,k). Direct comparisons were made between the two groups for FAPS and TD gait measures. Mean gait measures were lower for the DSA group than for the NDDA group for FAPS (DSA = 90.3 ± 10.4; NDDA = 98.2 ± 2.4), step length/leg length ratio (DSA= 0.75 ± 0.10; NDDA = 0.78 + 0.04), and step time (DSA = 0.53 + 0.08 s; NDDA = 0.55 ± 0.05 s). Mean gait measures were higher for the DSA group than for the NDDA group for mean normalized velocity (DSA= 1.46 ± 0.43 LL/s; NDDA= 1.42 ± 0.14 LL/s) and base of support (DSA= 12.04 ± 3.74 cm; NDDA- 9.72 + 2.89 cm). The results suggest that these measures can be used as indicators of gait performance for adults with Down syndrome.