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Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

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Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#41

Post by generalizations »

hx8 wrote: post #28
generalizations wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Basically a measure of whether or not you make an effort to emulate your peers. If you naturally walk weird and don't care about fitting in, then....you're probably on the spectrum.

That's one potential explanation for gait differences. It's also possible that muscle development plays a role, or motor control, or sensory feedback, or a confluence of factors. I'd be particularly interested in seeing if these gait differences are limited to childhood, or if they persist into adulthood. It might simply be delaying a developmental step.

IIRC, toe-walking is actually healthier and puts less strain on the foot. It's a very good way to run long distance, once the muscles are acclimated. I suspect some of us still do that naturally as children for that reason and therefore only adjust due to societal pressure.

Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#43

Post by cardanome »

gcau wrote: post #35
cardanome wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fact people with ADHD have also their peculiar walks: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/H1YsnuaYY-g > based on outward behavior Yes, neurodivergence can only be diagnosed based on how you work on the inside. It is not possible to diagnose based on outside behavior as people can show symptoms very differently and can mask their symptoms. And no, you obviously can not diagnose people based on how they walk. If anything…

>Both autism are ADHD are vastly under-diagnosed especially in women and adults. How is this known or proven?

We can do science and extrapolate data:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8870038/

> As of 2018, 2.94% of 10- to 14-year-olds had a diagnosis (1 in 34), vs. 0.02% aged 70+ (1 in 6000).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8870038/

> The ratio of males to females with ASD is generally quoted as 4:1,[..]The true male-to-female ratio appears to be 3:4. Eighty percent of females remain undiagnosed at age 18, which has serious consequences for the mental health of young women.

Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#44

Post by nailer »

Why is toe walking bad? The fastest humans and animals do it.

Facts aren't data, but as a counter to the narrative in this article: in my own experience strong calf muscles likely related to autism have allowed me to place at running events as someone with <2 years competitive running experience, and my mother to be the national champion at her age range for a decade.

Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#45

Post by cardanome »

dns_snek wrote: post #39
cardanome wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fact people with ADHD have also their peculiar walks: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/H1YsnuaYY-g > based on outward behavior Yes, neurodivergence can only be diagnosed based on how you work on the inside. It is not possible to diagnose based on outside behavior as people can show symptoms very differently and can mask their symptoms. And no, you obviously can not diagnose people based on how they walk. If anything…

> There are very hard criteria for an diagnosis and it requires that every other explanation for the behavior is excluded before a diagnosis can be made. Is this standard truly being upheld? Most stories I've heard from people in US & UK go something like "I filled out some forms, hopped on a call/saw a psychiatrist for 30-60 minutes and walked out with a diagnosis and a prescription". Sometimes people even joke abou…

I don't really know the situation in the US. Here in Germany it is for sure rigorous.

I had three appointments and lots of questionnaires to fill out at home that were designed to exclude all kind of conditions. And with a diagnosis I was still far away from getting a prescription, that is whole other hurdle.

As for the US, well the CDC says in the section for conditions that must be met:

> The symptoms are not better explained by another mental disorder (such as a mood disorder, anxiety disorder, dissociative disorder, or a personality disorder). The symptoms do not happen only during the course of schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder.

https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/diagnosis/index.html

So it is pretty clear on that.

Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#46

Post by Melatonic »

generalizations wrote: post #41
hx8 wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's one potential explanation for gait differences. It's also possible that muscle development plays a role, or motor control, or sensory feedback, or a confluence of factors. I'd be particularly interested in seeing if these gait differences are limited to childhood, or if they persist into adulthood. It might simply be delaying a developmental step.

IIRC, toe-walking is actually healthier and puts less strain on the foot. It's a very good way to run long distance, once the muscles are acclimated. I suspect some of us still do that naturally as children for that reason and therefore only adjust due to societal pressure.

I think you are mistaking toe-walking with landing fairly flat footed (the way most people tend to run with more minimalist barefoot style shoes)

Running purely on the balls of your feet seems like its more of a sprinting thing

Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#47

Post by Krasnol »

725686 wrote: post #18

For some reason, I dislike seeing people that walk "funny". I am particularly disgusted by people that walk with their feet facing outward a little too much.

Might be interesting to find the reason.

You might be susceptible to those kinds of unhealthy issues and have more of them without even realising it.

You may look anti-social to your environment.

Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#48

Post by Melatonic »

nailer wrote: post #44

Why is toe walking bad? The fastest humans and animals do it. Facts aren't data, but as a counter to the narrative in this article: in my own experience strong calf muscles likely related to autism have allowed me to place at running events as someone with <2 years competitive running experience, and my mother to be the national champion at her age range for a decade.

Nothing bad about it - as a fellow runner though I would say it is definitely more adapted for short distance speed work.

Long distance though of course would still benefit from stronger calves. However toe walking also might make you tend toward tighter calves and posterior chain (which would leady to injury - especially when doing distance)

Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#49

Post by cardanome »

725686 wrote: post #18

For some reason, I dislike seeing people that walk "funny". I am particularly disgusted by people that walk with their feet facing outward a little too much.

Yeah people are wired to hate other people that fall outside the norm.

It is especially painful when you are neurodivergend and undiagnosed and spent half your life wondering why people just hate you for being you.

Thankfully people can get over it when they make an effort and educate themselves. So it is good that you admit you feel this way. Maybe you can learn to appreciate people being different or at least tolerate them more.

Re: Signs of autism could be encoded in the way you walk

#50

Post by dkga »

dns_snek wrote: post #39
cardanome wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In fact people with ADHD have also their peculiar walks: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/H1YsnuaYY-g > based on outward behavior Yes, neurodivergence can only be diagnosed based on how you work on the inside. It is not possible to diagnose based on outside behavior as people can show symptoms very differently and can mask their symptoms. And no, you obviously can not diagnose people based on how they walk. If anything…

> There are very hard criteria for an diagnosis and it requires that every other explanation for the behavior is excluded before a diagnosis can be made. Is this standard truly being upheld? Most stories I've heard from people in US & UK go something like "I filled out some forms, hopped on a call/saw a psychiatrist for 30-60 minutes and walked out with a diagnosis and a prescription". Sometimes people even joke abou…

“Prescription”?
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