title: Asymmetrical motor behaviour as a window to early leg preference: a longitudinal study in infants 7-12 months of age.
abstract: This longitudinal study explored leg preference in infancy during half-kneel pulling-to-stand (PTS) and asymmetrical four-point kneeling, which is part of the typical motor repertoire of infants. The special characteristics of the half-kneel PTS as a discrete task, performed in a bilateral context provide the opportunity to explore leg preference during an asymmetrical behaviour. Twenty-seven infants were observed in their homes, every 3 weeks between the ages of 7-12 months. Leg preference was determined by the "lead-out" limb used as the infants pulled to stand from the half-kneeling position (half-kneel PTS). As a complementary measure, the leading leg during asymmetrical four-point kneeling and crawling ("asymmetrical four-point patterns") was used in the 10 infants who developed these patterns. The infants studied showed a general preference for using a leading leg during half-kneel PTS, which was mostly consistent over the study period. A strong correlation was found between leg preferences during half-kneel PTS and asymmetrical four-point patterns. The findings documented functional asymmetry in infant lower limbs during half-kneel PTS and asymmetrical four-point patterns, highlighting the importance of the tasks used to define leg preference.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences , University of Haifa , Haifa , Israel.
authors.forename: Osnat
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Atun-Einy
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D007866:Leg; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
keywords: Leg preference; asymmetrical task; developmental trajectory; infancy; lateralization; pulling to stand