Assessing Motor Control States in Children Through Flexo-Extension Movement Morphology

This study analyses motor control states by examining the morphology of the flexion-extension movement in different age groups - adults, older children (12–13 years), middle children (10–11 years) and young children (6–7 years) - at three frequencies (42, 60 and 78 RPM). Data on angle changes and rate of change were collected and averaged to determine the standard iterations for each group. Comparison of these iterations with adults revealed significant differences in movement morphology and velocity profiles, indicating developmental trajectories in motor control. Younger children showed greater deviations in their speed, while older children showed closer alignment with adults. These findings establish a basis for future research in the assessment of the motor state in children with cerebral palsy.