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Background  Previous literature mainly introduced cognitive functions to explain performance decrements in dual-task walking, i.e., changes in dual-task locomotion are attributed to limited cognitive information processing capacities. In this study, we enlarge existing literature and investigate whether leg muscular capacity plays an additional role in children’s dual-task walking performance.    Methods  To this end, we had prepubescent children (mean age: 8.7 ± 0.5 years, age range: 7–9 years) walk in single task (ST) and while concurrently conducting an arithmetic subtraction task (DT). Additionally, leg lean tissue mass was assessed.    Results  Findings show that both, boys and girls, significantly decrease their gait velocity ( f = 0.73 ), stride length ( f = 0.62 ) and cadence ( f = 0.68 ) and increase the variability thereof ( f = 0.20-0.63 ) during DT compared to ST. Furthermore, stepwise regressions indicate that leg lean tissue mass is closely associated with step time and the variability thereof during DT ( R  2  = 0.44, p = 0.009). These associations between gait measures and leg lean tissue mass could not be observed for ST ( R  2  = 0.17, p = 0.19).    Conclusion  We were able to show a potential link between leg muscular capacities and DT walking performance in children. We interpret these findings as evidence that higher leg muscle mass in children may mitigate the impact of a cognitive interference task on DT walking performance by inducing enhanced gait stability.

Association of dual-task walking performance and leg muscle quality in healthy children