Variations in the gait of normal children. A graph applicable to the documentation of abnormalities.

The goal of much orthopaedic treatment of children is to improve their walking. To document the quantitative characteristics of walking, we devised graphic displays of speed, cadence, stride length, and body height on the basis of 2,416 observations of 324 children walking over a range of speeds. The gait graph is an uncomplicated tool for the clinician to use in the documentation and evaluation of gait in children. It also provides the means to relate the walking abilities of patients to the standards for normal children.