Electromyographic characteristics
in the initial period of learning to walk
Tsutomu OKAMOTO，Hiromi TSUTSUMI and Kayoko OKAMOTO*
To determine electromyographic characteristics during the initial period of leaning to walk，we studied the process of learning to walk in an infant（10 month-old girl）.−We examined the functional mechanism of the ankle muscles（both tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius）from the onset of independent walking until the transition to the tod dler walking pattern indicating fairly stable walking.
1）The strong discharge patteern in the gastrocnemius prior to foot contact and in the tibialis anterior during the foot-flat phase，which indicate a lack of stable equiljbrium，seemed to be characteristic of the onset of independent walking.
2）The peculiar discharge pattern in both the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius at the onset of independent walking ndicating unstable walking began to disappear about 2-3months after learning to walk．Therefore，transition to the toddler walking pattern indicating fairly stable walking seems to take place about2−3month safter learning to walk.
3）We reconfirmed the unstable period at the on set of independent walking and the period of transition to the toddler walking pattern indicating fairly stable walking.（Rep．Res．Cent．Phys．Ed．25：79−88.1997）
