Benefits of Early Mobility with an Emphasis on Gait Training

Products for life from people who care.TM 800.571.8198 • www.rifton.com Ambulation is defined as the ability to walk from place to place, with or without an assistive device. Locomotion is the ability to move from one place to the next. In human development, independent mobility begins with the locomotion of crawling, and progresses to upright ambulation. During typical development, crawling begins at approximately 9 months, and walking begins between 12-18 months of age. When walking begins, a typical infant develops a much stronger engagement with their environment. When an infant becomes upright, they are on the same plane as the rest of the world around them; it allows them better interaction with people and objects in their environment.1