Quantifying Real-World Movements of Children to Scientifically Inform Footwear Design
This research is being undertaken as part of an industrial PhD (iPhD) funded by On Running. The primary aim of the PhD research is to understand how children move. Both the age and developmental stage of children affect their neuromuscular and skeletal systems. This means that children are constantly learning how to move their adapting bodies, progressing towards adult-like gait and movements. Currently, how children move during their development is not fully understood from a biomechanical perspective, which has wider implications for sport science, injury, and athlete development. This is especially true in the footwear industry, where the specific requirements of children’s feet are often unknown, resulting in assumptions based off adult’s needs and products. The results will not only establish a scientific evidence base on children’s movement and development, but also heavily influence the industry partner’s product development process as well.
Team
Publications
Biomechanical Quantification of Children’s Gross Motor Movement: A Systematic Scoping Review. Biomechanics 2025, 5(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomechanics5020028