Inter-Limb Muscle Synergies and Kinematic Analysis of Hands-and-Knees Crawling in Typically Developing Infants and Infants With Developmental Delay

Bibliographic Details
Title: Inter-Limb Muscle Synergies and Kinematic Analysis of Hands-and-Knees Crawling in Typically Developing Infants and Infants With Developmental Delay
Authors: Qi L. Xiong, Xiao Y. Wu, Jun Yao, Theresa Sukal-Moulton, Nong Xiao, Lin Chen, Xiao L. Zheng, Yuan Liu, Wen S. Hou
Source: Frontiers in Neurology, Vol 9 (2018)
Publisher Information: Frontiers Media S.A., 2018.
Publication Year: 2018
Collection: LCC:Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
Subject Terms: infant crawling, EMG, muscle synergy, kinematics, motor developmental delay, Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system, RC346-429
More Details: Hands-and-knees-crawling is an important motor developmental milestone and a unique window into the development of central nervous system (CNS). Mobility during crawling is regularly used in clinical assessments to identify delays in motor development. However, possible contribution from CNS impairments to motor development delay is still unknown. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare inter-limb muscle synergy and kinematics during crawling among infants at a similar developmental age, however, clinically determined to be typically developing (TD, N = 20) infants, infants at risk of developmental delay (ARDD, N = 33), or infants with confirmed developmental delay (CDD, N = 13). We hypothesized that even though all of the groups are at a similar developmental age, there would be differences in kinematic measures during crawling, and such differences would be associated with CNS impairment as measured by electromyography (EMG) features. Surface EMG of eight arm and leg muscles and the corresponding joint kinematic data were collected while participants crawled on hands and knees at their self-selected velocity. Temporal-spatial parameters and normalized Jerk-Cost (JC) function (i.e., smoothness of movement) were computed from the measured kinematics. The inter-limb muscle synergy and the number of co-activating muscles per synergy were measured using EMGs. We found that the infants with CDD demonstrated higher normalized JC values (less movement smoothness), fewer muscle synergies, and more co-activating muscles per synergy, compared to infants with TD (p < 0.05) and ARDD (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the normalized JC values were correlated (p < 0.05) with the number of co-activation muscles per synergy. Our results suggest a constrained neuromuscular control strategy due to neurological injury in infants with CDD, and such constrain may contribute to the reduced movement smoothness in infant crawling.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1664-2295
Relation: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fneur.2018.00869/full; https://doaj.org/toc/1664-2295
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00869
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/bf245fee1b1e4634b33191d813f48317
Accession Number: edsdoj.bf245fee1b1e4634b33191d813f48317
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:16642295
DOI:10.3389/fneur.2018.00869
Published in:Frontiers in Neurology
Language:English