Normative childhood EMG gait patterns

The population characteristics of the linear envelopes of the electromyograms measured from seven lower extremity muscles in children were studied during locomotion. The variability and changes in pattern with respect to walking speed and age were investigated using statistical properties and analysis of variance of the envelopes. All muscles studied showed changes in their patterns that were associated with different walking speeds. Some changes concerned the relative intensity of existing phases of activity. The most remarkable trend was that all envelopes tended to have more consistent patterns as speed increased. With regard to age, within the span of 4–11 years, only the two high muscles studied demonstrated appreciable differences.