Walking Backwards: Benefits, Precautions & How to Do It

Introduction

Everyone walks every day. Walking to the store, walking for exercise, maybe even walking just to clear your head. We often take forward walking for granted, skipping past its many health rewards. But trying to walk backward is not much known.  

In this article, we’ll unpack the science-backed gains of this unique walking style¹.  We will also be answering many frequently asked questions regarding this topic.  

Why Walk Backward?

Retro walking isn’t your average walk in the park. Whilst it may seem odd, this little twist on walking can spice up your routine. Athletes, injury recoverees, or those bored with their workouts can try it. This technique may help sharpen memory and focus, increase muscle buildup, improve balance, burn more calories, and ease knee pain¹.  

Potential Mental Health Benefits

One standout potential merit of retro walking is that it may help enhance mental well-being. 

1. Enhance Cognitive Functions

Your brain health may get a boost from including backward marches into your regime. Studies² have shown that walking backward helps sharpen short-term recall. 

2. Alleviates Stress and Anxiety

While it needs more study, some tell us that walking backward may help soothe your stress³. It engages parts of the brain that help your mood and create a sense of calm. 

3. Challenges the Brain and Encourages Mindfulness

Reverse walking is said to make your brain work differently. This method may unclog new paths in your brain and boost your overall cognitive state⁴. Your brain pathways grow as your coordination and spatial awareness are challenged. Walking backward makes you be ‘in the moment’. Because you’re alert to your movements and what’s around you, you might find workouts to be fun. 

Potential Benefits for the Body

Walking backward is good for the body too in the following ways. 

1. Building Muscle Strength

Retro walking may help to build muscle strength as it uses a different set of mechanics. It focuses on muscles not usually used in forward walks. It may help fix bodily imbalances⁵.  

2. Improving Balance and Gait

Reverse walking may also aid in better balance and gait by making your posture stronger. Some studies show that by improving balance it may help reduce falls⁶.  

3. Burning More Calories

Reverse walking may help you burn more calories as it requires greater effort. More effort equals more energy expenditure. According to health studies⁷, reverse walking at 3.5 mph burns 40% more calories than brisk forward walks. 

4. Boosting Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Backward marching may also improve heart and lung health. As it needs more oxygen and triggers the circulatory system more. For athletes, particularly runners, reverse walking might be useful. It stretches the hip flexors to use a full range of hip extension, strengthening the backside muscles⁸. 

Additional Advantages

Beyond the potential mental and body benefits, backward walking has other beneficial points which are as follows. 

1. Reduced Knee Pain

Retro walking could help if you have knee pain. This happens due to the reduced pressure or stress on the knees. Some research⁹ suggests that reverse walking may enhance muscle strength in individuals with issues like runner’s knee and knee osteoarthritis. 

2. Increased Flexibility and Range of Motion

Reverse walking may help improve the flexibility and mobility of certain joints, like hips, knees, and ankles⁷. By engaging different muscles and adding new challenges,  backward walking may decrease muscle stiffness. 

3. Combating Exercise Boredom

Adding backward walking to your routine can add some uniqueness to your workouts and make them more engaging. Staying alert during reverse walks can make for a much more enjoyable workout experience. 

How to Approach Walking Backward?

 You can fit reverse walking into your routine in the following way. 

1. Trying Out Walking Backward Outdoors

Select a safe open space outdoors like a park or a quiet neighborhood. 

• Choosing Safe Environments: Choose areas with no hurdles, traffic, or threats to ensure a safe backward walk. 
• Gradually Increasing Distance and Intensity: Start slow, then increase distance and intensity as you get better at it. 

2. Incorporating Backward Walking into Treadmill Exercise

Walking on treadmills is safer. The rails and the stable deck provide support. 

• Proper Form and Technique: Start slow (about 1 mph) and hold onto the rails as you walk toe-to-heel. As you get the hang of it, you can start speeding up. 
• Safety Precautions: Always attach the safety cord of the treadmill to your outfit. Be mindful of the space around you as you do a reverse walk. 

3. Experimenting with Running Backward

 Running backward may yield bigger rewards. But remember, it comes with its risks. 

• Benefits of Increased Intensity: Running backward can amp up your muscle strength, calorie burn, and heart-lung fitness. 
• Understanding Different Risks and Challenges: Reverse running has unique caveats like balance issues and injury risks compared to walking backward. So, always exercise caution and safety first.

Precautions and Safety Measures

Not everyone should try walking backward unaided without advice. 

Who Should Avoid Walking Backwards Unassisted?

Those with severe imbalance issues, fall risks, or medical conditions for example people suffering from vertigo, etc. hindering exercise should not try reverse walking without professional help. 

Tips for Walking Backwards Safely and Effectively

To walk backward safely and effectively, here are some tips: 

• Wear fitting footwear that gives support 
• Be aware of your surroundings, especially if outdoors 
• Walk at a pace and intensity that matches your fitness level 

Also Read: Benefits of Doing the Plank Exercise Every Day

Conclusion

Walking backward is an exciting way to mix up your workout. It offers possible brain benefits, muscle strength gains, improved balance/flexibility, and even makes workouts more fun. 

Remember to put safety first. With the right approach, you could be joining the growing league of people who enjoy this fresh, unique way of exercising.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Backward walking alters vastus medialis oblique/vastus lateralis muscle activity ratio in females with patellofemoral pain syndrome [Internet]. [cited 2023 Dec 26]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6706826 
2. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Patellofemoral joint compression forces in backward and forward running [Internet]. [cited 2023 Dec 26]. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22503882 
3. Cha HG, Kim TH, Kim MK. Therapeutic efficacy of walking backward and forward on a slope in normal adults. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016 Jun;28(6):1901-3. doi: 10.1589/jpts.28.1901. Epub 2016 Jun 28. PMID: 27390443; PMCID: PMC4932084. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4932084/
4. Viggiano D, Travaglio M, Cacciola G, Di Costanzo A. Effect of backward walking on attention: possible application on ADHD. Transl Med UniSa. 2014 Dec 19;11:48-54. PMID: 25674550; PMCID: PMC4309656. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4309656/
5. Alghadir A, Anwer S. Effect of retro and forward walking on quadriceps muscle strength, pain, function, and mobility in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2016 Apr 12;17:161. doi: 10.1186/s12891-016-1021-z. PMID: 27072798; PMCID: PMC4830006. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4830006/
6. Wang J, Xu J, An R. Effectiveness of backward walking training on balance performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Gait Posture. 2019 Feb;68:466-475. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2019.01.002. Epub 2019 Jan 3. PMID: 30616175. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30616175/
7. Boreman J. Health Benefits of Walking Backward. Cleveland Clinic. 19 Sep 2024. Available from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/benefits-of-walking-backwards
8. Aysha T, Zaki S, Alam MF, Sharma S, Alnasser SM, Alqahatn AS, Mujaddadi A, Raza A, Nuhmani S. Effectiveness of backward gait training on body composition, cardiopulmonary fitness, inflammation, and metabolic marker in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Crit Illn Inj Sci. 2024 Apr-Jun;14(2):101-111. doi: 10.4103/ijciis.ijciis_74_23. Epub 2024 Jun 21. PMID: 39005976; PMCID: PMC11245139. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11245139/
9. Almutairi SM, Almutairi MK, Alotaibi MM, Alshehri M, Alenazi AM. Effects of backward walking exercise using lower body positive pressure treadmill on knee symptoms and physical function in individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a protocol for RCT. J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 Apr 1;18(1):264. doi: 10.1186/s13018-023-03711-x. PMID: 37005596; PMCID: PMC10067190. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10067190/

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