Wobbly Walkers - Development of Gait

From first steps to running around at the playground, a child's gait pattern continuously changes from ages 1-8! Read on to learn about each stage of gait development and what to expect at various ages.

10-16 Months Old

• First few steps

  • First steps typically occur 6 months after a child learns to pull-to-stand

  • Large degree of both hip and knee flexion while stepping

  • Arms in high guard position (up in air by head with elbows flexed and shoulder blades pinched together)

  • Poor stability with frequent falls

• First few months of walking

  • Wide base of support with flexed knees and pronated feet

  • Minimal or no trunk rotation

  • May appear to "waddle" side to side to progress forward while stepping

  • Entire foot hits the ground at the same time

  • Arms gradually lower with practice/in time

  • Progression from first step to taking 10 consecutive steps takes about 40 hours of walking practice

  • It typically takes about 2 months from the first step to fully walking around the house

  • Child learns to turn and to stop/start again while walking

18-24 Months Old

• Heel strike emerges instead of full flat foot hitting the ground at the start of each step

• Knee remains slightly flexed

• Stride length begins to increase

• Trunk rotation begins to increase

• Reciprocal arm swing starts to develop

• Weight shifting side to side becomes more controlled

• Running (fast walking) begins by 18 months old and becomes more fluid with arms lower down around 24 months old

• Any persistent toe walking should resolve by 24 months old (or after 6 months of full time walking)

3-4 Years Old

• Pelvis rotates more in relation to trunk

• Base of support narrows to width of pelvis

• Arm swing should be in a controlled, reciprocal pattern and coordinated with trunk rotation

• Running begins to look more coordinated

6-7 Years Old

• Base of support narrows further

• Stride length increases

• Mature, adult-like gait pattern

• Any in-toeing or out-toeing may improve by 7-8 years old

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