A biomechanical analysis of the 'high guard' position of arms during walking in toddlers

In this study, we investigated biomechanical contributions of the high guard position of the arms observed only in a subgroup of toddlers at very early stages of gait development. Six healthy toddlers who showed this peculiar arm posture were involved in this study. They participated in two data collection sessions (1 month apart). We used three-dimensional analysis of arm posture during gait to estimate the changes in forces and torques generated by the arms and acting on the upper trunk segment. Across visits, toddlers’ increase in walking speeds coincided with lowering arm postures. Despite the apparent trend of changes in arm posture in this group of toddlers, the interaction between arm posture and upper trunk position created a variety of changes in forces and torques among individuals. Findings of this study exhibited an example of the exploration of dynamics by toddlers in the early stage of gait development.