1. It’s great for older people
Part of the appeal of walking backward is that it’s suitable for people of any age and fitness level. It mitigates the impact of each step, reducing the force exerted on the knees and lower back. It’s great for your balance and coordination, That’s especially important for older adults, who are at a higher risk of falls. For a safe way to start, get on the treadmill backward without turning it on, grasp the handrails, and use your own power to move the belt.
2. You’ll engage different muscles
Walking backward requires you to stand up straighter than you do when walking forward. By reversing your stride, you’ll create a new challenge for the muscles in the abdomen, lower limbs, glutes, and back, since they’ll be working opposite of how they usually do. According to one studY, people who walked backward three times a week for six weeks ended up with better quadriceps strength compared with those who walked forward for their exercise.
3. It can be good for people with injuries
Retro-walking has long been used for clinical and rehabilitation purposes. One study found that after six weeks of doing it, people with osteoarthritis in the knee had a bigger drop in pain and functional disability compared with those who walked in the typical way. Others have found that backward walking alleviates plantar fasciitis and lower back pain. Retro-walking is also used in occupational therapy. Older people might practice walking up to a kitchen sink, for example, then backward away from it. The ability to move in reverse can enhance “practical activities of daily living.
4. It could make you more flexible
Many of us sit all day long—which leads to coiled-up, restricted muscles. Our hip flexors, or the muscles at the front of the thigh and the front of the hip, get tighter. When we walk backward, we’re stretching that tissue—leading to more flexibility, which is linked to improved physical performance, increased muscle blood flow, and a reduced risk of injuries.
5. Your gait might improve
Physios uses retro-walking to help people normalize their gait pattern, or how they walk. It’s a way to tap into our neuromuscular programming and get people to work through a little limp or a range-of-motion restriction. Walking backward for just 20 or 30 ft. at a time is often enough to help some patients. It can also improve balance control. When you can’t see what’s behind you, you must instead rely on your muscles, joints, and vestibular system to keep you upright. You’re having to feel where you are in space, and that information is being sent to the brain.
