Footwear-Related Modulation of Scalp EEG Theta/Alpha Ratio During Walking in Children: An Exploratory Within-Subject Study

Abstract

Background: Childhood is a critical period for neuromotor development, during which footwear may influence the sensory and mechanical context of walking. This study examined whether footwear condition was associated with changes in scalp-level EEG activity during walking in 37 typically developing children aged 6–7 years. Methods: Participants completed repeated 10 m walking trials under three randomized conditions: barefoot, barefoot-style footwear, and conventional structured footwear. EEG was recorded using a mobile 14-channel Emotiv EPOC X system. The primary outcome was the global Theta/Alpha ratio averaged across scalp electrodes. Results: Footwear condition significantly affected the global Theta/Alpha ratio (F (2,72) = 14.57, p < 0.001). Conventional structured footwear produced higher Theta/Alpha values than both barefoot walking and barefoot-style footwear, whereas no significant differences were found between barefoot and barefoot-style conditions. Mean paired differences were 1.08 for conventional versus barefoot and 0.99 for conventional versus barefoot-style footwear. Similar directional effects were observed across electrode groupings. No significant differences were identified in absolute theta, alpha, or beta power, global Beta/Alpha ratio, or Shannon entropy. Conclusions: Conventional structured footwear was associated with increased scalp-level Theta/Alpha activity during walking in children, suggesting possible footwear-related modulation of attentional or motor-control demands.