the effect of baby walker's use on musculoskeletal system and physical activity level

Background :the use of baby walkers (bws) continues to be a common practice among parents. despite the available literature on the disadvantages of bw use, its use as a play tool is still widespread. it is important to evaluate the effects of bw use on motor development and the musculoskeletal system from multiple perspectives. objectives :this cross-sectional study aimed to examine differences in physical activity, posture, and muscle strength between children who used bws during infancy and those who did not. methods :thirty-nine children aged 8 – 14 years attending mustafa kemal university, faculty of medicine, department of child health and diseases for routine check-ups participated. those with orthopedic problems, chronic diseases, or neurological conditions were excluded. written informed consent was obtained from parents and children. participants were grouped by bw use history. demographics, motor milestones, age at bw introduction, and duration of use were recorded. physical activity was measured using the international physical activity questionnaire for children, posture with the new york posture rating, and muscle strength with a digital dynamometer. results :the mean age was 10.83 ± 1.65 in the bw group and 10.13 ± 1.88 in the non-bw group. all motor development stages were observed to be normal in non-bw users. although walking onset occurred earlier in the bw group, other motor stages appeared delayed compared to non-users (p > 0.05). a significant asymmetry in lower extremity muscle strength was found among bw users (p < 0.05). additionally, physical activity levels on weekends were significantly lower in the bw group compared to non-users (p = 0.008). conclusions :baby walker use may accelerate walking onset but could be linked to delays in other motor skills, asymmetrical muscle strength, and reduced physical activity. caution is advised regarding bw use in infancy. the small sample size and cross-sectional design limit causal interpretations; larger longitudinal studies are recommended.