Objectives: To quantify the differences in gait variability and balance performance between typically developed (TD) children and children with post-traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to determine the association between gait variability and functional balance in both groups.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Physical therapy department of a paediatric and adolescent rehabilitation hospital.
Participants: A convenience sample of 24 children post-TBI and 24 TD age and sex matched controls.
Intervention: Not applicable.
Main outcome measure: Step length, step time and base width variability measured with an electronic walkway; timed up and go (TUG) test and functional reach test (FRT) as a functional balance test.
Results: Base width and step time variability showed no significant difference between the groups. However, children post-TBI had significantly greater variability in step length in comparison to healthy controls. The functional balance abilities of children post-TBI were significantly limited compared to TD children. A significant linear inverse correlation was found between balance performance and step length variability only among children with a TBI.
Conclusion: Ambulatory children post-severe TBI had decreased balance performance, decreased gait speed and increased step length variability as compared to age-matched healthy controls.